Not playing against USA
Star coach Marcelo Bielsa receives strange suspension
01.07.2024, 06:55
Marcelo Bielsa made too much of a halftime appearance in a Copa America match – and caused trouble: Uruguay’s coach was suspended and his employer was asked to pay. In sporting terms, the consequences are clear.
Uruguay has almost qualified for the quarter-finals – but in the last group match at the Copa America on Monday, the team will have to make do without coach Marcelo Bielsa. As the tournament organizers announced on Sunday, the Argentinian has been banned from the match against the USA. The reason: The 68-year-old is said to have caused a delay in the kick-off of the second half of the 5-0 win against Bolivia.
Bielsa’s offence is not the first of its kind at the South American continental tournament: Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, Chile coach Ricardo Gareca and Venezuela coach Fernando Batista have also already received penalties for delaying the continuation of the game.
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In the case of Bielsa, who worked for several years as team manager of Premier League club Leeds United, the Uruguayan Football Association is also being asked to pay: 15,000 US dollars will be due for the coach’s misconduct. Uruguay’s assistant coach Diego Reyes said at a press conference that the Copa America was a very tough tournament in this regard. “We took the necessary precautions in the last game to avoid delays, but there were still ambiguities that could not be cleared up,” he said. “There is a lot going on in a dressing room during a game, and in this tournament they were very strict with this short time period.”
Uruguay can hardly be denied a place in the round of the best eight after their convincing victory over Bolivia and a 3-1 win over Canada. The USA, on the other hand, need more points after three points in two games to make it through on their own.
Meanwhile, Venezuela remains the sensational team of the Copa: The Vinotintos marched into the quarter-finals without losing a point with a 3-0 (0-0) win against Jamaica and will now face Canada in the round of the last eight on Friday. World and South American champions Argentina opened the knockout rounds a day earlier against Ecuador, which surprisingly knocked Mexico out of the tournament with a 0-0 draw in Group B.