Darwin Nunez handed five-match ban for fighting fans at Copa America

Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur has been banned for four games but captain Jose Maria Gimenez says players were just defending their families

Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has been handed a five-game international ban for his role in the disorder that took place at the end of Uruguay’s Copa America semi-final against Colombia last month.
Following the final whistle, the striker appeared to confront supporters seated in the Colombia section of the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina after a brawl broke out near to where the Uruguay team’s families were seated.
Uruguay’s Nunez and teammate Ronald Araujo were among the players at the forefront of the melee. Captain Jose Maria Gimenez said the players were trying to defend their families.
“This is the fault of two or three people who had a few too many drinks and don’t know how to drink,” Gimenez said.
Uruguay had just been beaten 1-0 by Colombia, who played the whole of the second half with 10 men, to miss out on a place in the final.
Nunez, who was captured in video footage throwing a chair towards where Colombia supporters were sitting, has also received a £15,000 fine.
Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur, who was involved in the fracas, has been given a four-game international ban and fined £12,000, whilst Mathias Olivera, Araujo and Gimenez have each been suspended for three matches.
Uruguayan football officials defended their players in the aftermath of the incident, claiming they were simply trying to prevent their families from coming to harm.
Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa rejected any suggestion his players should be sanctioned, saying: “The only thing I can tell you is that the players reacted like any other human being would.
“If you see your woman, or your mother, or a baby, being attacked, what would you do? You’d ask whether they’re going to punish the people who defended themselves?”
The ban means Nunez will miss his country’s upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Paraguay, Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador. He will not be banned for any Liverpool matches.
Liverpool face Manchester United next, at Old Trafford on Sunday. Nunez has started the Arne Slot era on the bench in the club’s opening two wins of the campaign.