Darwin Nunez hit with five-game ban for fight with Colombian fans

Punishments from the clash between Colombian fans and Uruguay players in July have officially been handed out. The two South American teams previously faced off in a contentious Copa America 2024 semifinal in Charlotte. Colombia ended up narrowly topping their rivals in front of around 70,000 fans on the night. As a result, La Tricolor eventually played Argentina in the tournament final.

Nevertheless, a melee erupted in the stands immediately following the semifinal match. Several Uruguayan players were seen fighting with Colombian fans in the first few rows of the arena. The incident seemingly continued longer than it should have because of the lack of movement by officials.

Following the fracas, multiple Uruguayan players claimed that the situation started because Colombian fans were targeting the families of Uruguay’s players. Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez was directly at the forefront of the fight. He was, however, not alone as Rodrigo Bentancur, José María Giménez, Mathías Olivera, and Ronald Araújo were also involved.

Suspended Nunez can still play for Liverpool during the ban

Although the incident in Charlotte occurred six weeks ago, CONMEBOL finally issued suspensions on Wednesday. Unsurprisingly, Nunez received the most intense punishment of the Uruguay squad. The center-forward earned a five-game international suspension and a $20,000 fine.

Domestic matches involving Liverpool are not part of the ban, so he is free to feature for the Reds. Nunez’s club next plays a massive matchup against Manchester United on Sunday, Sep. 1. Following the big game, the striker would have normally reported for international duty with Uruguay. Nevertheless, this is now not the case.

Nunez was far from the only player to receive a harsh punishment. Bentancur, a star with Tottenham Hotspur, also picked up a four-game suspension and a fine worth $16,000. The midfielder recently suffered a nasty head injury in the club’s opening match of…

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Author : Chris Moore

Publish date : 2024-08-28 20:36:55

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