The assaults by several players of the Argentina national team on the footballers of Spain after the World Cup final have already been sanctioned. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has punished Leandro Paredes with 10 matches, Nahuel Molina with seven, Roberto Ayala, Scaloni’s assistant, with three, Thiago Almada with one, and the Spaniard Gavi with one, in addition to fining the Argentine Football Association 321,000 dollars, which will play its next two matches with a 50% capacity limit, due to the fight and the use of the Malvinas flags.
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After having carried out “a rigorous analysis of the cases in question,” the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has been forceful with the albiceleste team. Paredes assaulted Eric García and Gavi after the final whistle, throwing the Barça midfielder to the ground. A shameful action that will leave him sidelined for 10 matches and for which he will have to pay a fine of 90,000 dollars.
Molina, for his part, punched Rodri when he was running to celebrate the title with his teammates. He will have to stay off the field for seven matches and pay 90,000 dollars. In Ayala’s case, Scaloni’s assistant punched Dani Olmo at neck level, so he will pay 30,000 dollars and be suspended for three matches. Almada and Gavi received a lesser sanction, being suspended for one match and paying 30,000 dollars for their conduct. All will serve their suspension in the upcoming matches of Argentina and Spain.
As for the AFA, FIFA imposes fines amounting to 321,000 dollars for various actions during the World Cup, from the assaults in the final to the use of a flag with the slogan “the Malvinas are Argentine” during the celebration of their victory against England in the semifinals. According to FIFA, the AFA violated article 13.2 of the Disciplinary Code which speaks of “using a sporting event to make statements of a nature other than sporting”; article 14.5, which relates to “misconduct of a team”; article 15, related to “discrimination and racist assaults” due to the discriminatory chants and gestures of its fans; and article 17, referring to “order and security in matches.”
In Gavi’s case, the Barça midfielder will serve his suspension in the match against England at Wembley, corresponding to the Nations League.
