NEWS
Not again! Paredes sparks new controversy
Just two weeks after his outburst in the World Cup final against Spain, Leandro Paredes once again causes a stir.
Leandro Paredes is making headlines again – and once more, not because of his footballing qualities.
In the away match between Boca Juniors and Newell's Old Boys (2-2), the Argentine world champion was involved in another unsporting act. In the 68th minute, with the score at 2-1 for the hosts, Fernando Guch was brought down by a tactical foul from Santiago Ascacibar.
After referee Andres Merlos blew his whistle for the foul, the ball remained directly in front of Paredes, and the 32-year-old shot the ball with full force against the grounded Guch. The latter then writhed in pain on the pitch, leading to a heated scuffle between both teams.
Paredes Gets Off Lightly
However, the referee only issued a yellow card to Paredes. The midfielder was allowed to continue playing and ultimately witnessed Boca Juniors' 2-2 equalizer in the closing stages.
Paredes has by now become infamous for such unsporting scenes. Already at the 2022 World Cup, he caused a stir in the quarter-final against the Netherlands when, after a foul call, he slammed the ball with full force towards the Dutch bench. He also got away with just a yellow card then.
Just two weeks ago, the Argentinian made headlines with an outburst in the World Cup final against Spain. Whether this foul play will lead to disciplinary consequences is currently open. FIFA had already initiated proceedings against several Argentinian players after the final.
