Ugly scenes broke out after Columbia beat Uruguay 1-0 in the Copa America semi-final and amongst all the chaos was Darwin Nunez fighting the Columbian supporters. Should he expect a lengthy ban?
What sparked the fighting?
It is now understood that Colombian fans attempted to reach the section where the families of the Uruguayan players were seated. This led to a disturbance after the match and drew the players’ focus.
Security personnel were instructed to disperse the fans, however, Nunez decided to take matters into his own hands by physically confronting Colombian supporters in order to safeguard his loved ones. He almost resorted to throwing a chair towards the Colombian section but was stopped by security.
As tensions escalated, Nunez’s family was eventually escorted to safety on the field to avoid any further issues. Despite this, the 25-year-old may potentially face additional consequences for his actions.
Will Nunez be given a ban?
No official investigation has been confirmed that will look into Nunez’s behavior as of this report but he would be lucky to escape any kind of prosecution.
The incident has drawn comparisons to Eric Cantona’s infamous Kung-Fu kick incident. While Cantona faced a nine-month ban and community service for his actions, Nunez may receive a less severe punishment due to the circumstances surrounding his actions, which appeared to be motivated by protecting his family.
Nunez has a history of displaying hot-headed behavior, as evidenced by his previous on-field altercation with a Crystal Palace defender during his debut at Anfield. He headbutted Joachim Anderson which resulted in a red card.
Since his high-profile transfer from Benfica to Liverpool for £85m, Nunez has failed to impress fans. A lengthy ban could potentially sideline him from Arne Slot’s future plans entirely.
What has been said?
South American football’s governing body, Conmebol, responded by stating: “Conmebol strongly condemns any act of violence that affects football. Our work is based on the conviction that football connects us and unites us, through its positive values.
“There is no place for intolerance and violence on and off the field. We invite everyone in the remaining days to pour all their passion into cheering on their teams and having an unforgettable party.”
Uruguay captain Jose Maria Gimenez confirmed that the players were trying to defend their loved ones: “Let me say something before they cut you off because they won’t let us speak into the microphone, they don’t want me to say anything about what’s going on but this is a disaster.
“Please be careful, our families are in the stands, there are little newborn babies. It was a disaster; there was no police and we had to defend our families.
“This is the fault of two or three people who had a few too many drinks and don’t know how to drink.”
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