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 the Premier League season. Giménez, Olivera, and Araújo each received three-game bans and fines of $12,000 as well.
Uruguay and Colombia set for rematch in November
Uruguay next faces Guatemala in a friendly at Inter Miami’s home arena. The match is on Sep. 1. This happens to be the same day as Liverpool’s aforementioned matchup with United. Due to the conflicting schedules, Uruguay previously revealed a makeshift roster for the international friendly.
If the Guatemala matchup counts against Nunez’s ban, he will miss just four 2026 World Cup qualifiers. These fixtures are against Paraguay, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador. Uruguay currently sits second in the CONMEBOL qualification table behind Argentina. Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru are all right behind La Celeste in the standings.
Assuming Nunez plays in the Ecuador match on Oct. 12, his next game for Uruguay would come against Colombia. Due to the recent events between the two teams, this matchup will have added drama. Nevertheless, Nunez may also have to miss the rematch if the Guatemala fixture does not count against his ban.
Despite his struggles with Liverpool, Nunez remains a key figure with his national team. When fit, the star typically works as the starting center forward for Uruguay. That has been the case for the last two years. Nunez has racked up 10 goals in his last 11 appearances for La Celeste since October of 2023.
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