Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez has been handed a five-game international suspension by CONMEBOL, South America’s governing football body, following his involvement in a controversial incident during Uruguay’s Copa América semifinal against Colombia last month.
Núñez, along with four other Uruguayan players, faced penalties due to their actions after the match.
The incident occurred on July 10, when Uruguay lost 1-0 to Colombia in Charlotte, North Carolina. After the match, several Uruguayan players and staff members entered the stands to confront fans, leading to physical altercations.
Darwin Núñez was notably captured in videos attempting to throw a chair into the crowd. This incident prompted an investigation by CONMEBOL.
As a result of the investigation, Núñez will miss Uruguay’s next five World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador. He was also fined $20,000. However, this suspension applies only to international matches, so his participation with Liverpool will not be affected.
Other players also faced disciplinary action:
- Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur midfielder) received a four-game suspension and a $16,000 fine.
- José María Giménez, Mathías Olivera, and Ronald Araújo each received a three-game ban and a $12,000 fine.
In addition, six other Uruguayan players who played a lesser role in the incident were each fined $5,000.
The Uruguayan Football Federation was fined $20,000, and Marcelo Garcia, an official within the organization, was banned from all CONMEBOL competitions for six months after he was seen throwing a water bottle at fans.
Uruguay’s head coach Marcelo Bielsa defended his players’ actions, stating that they were acting in self-defense to protect their family members who were present in the stands during the incident.
