After the World Cup final, some Argentine players lost control of their emotions. Leandro Paredes, among others, got physical. This now appears to have consequences, as FIFA is launching an investigation.
Consistent reports in the English-language media, first published by Sky Sports and the AP news agency, state that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee launched an investigation on Monday into the Argentine outbursts following the final loss to Spain.
The committee is quoted in a statement as saying: “After reviewing the relevant match reports from the FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina and in accordance with Article 36 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC), the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has appointed a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor to investigate possible violations of the FDC in connection with the incidents following the match.” Further details will be released once the prosecutor’s report is available.
Paredes and Molina came to blows
The investigation appears to be focused on Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina. After the final whistle, Paredes first grabbed Eric by the throat and, shortly thereafter, roughly shoved Gavi to the ground, making it look as though he seriously intended to strike him. However, his teammate Thiago Almada—who had also scuffled with Gavi—stood in his way. Molina struck Rodri—who had been substituted in extra time and then ran onto the field to celebrate after the final whistle—in the chest.
The claim that Paredes received a red card after the game, as reported by some media outlets, cannot be confirmed on FIFA’s official website, at least. However, it seems likely that he will face further disciplinary action once the Disciplinary Committee has completed its investigation. The Argentine midfielder was already facing a yellow-red card during the game after receiving a yellow card just a few minutes after coming on as a substitute. His teammate Enzo Fernández had received a yellow-red card in stoppage time of regulation for a hard tackle at the midfield line.
