Former Roma man Paredes loses his head in World Cup final chaos; sent off for throwing punches
Leandro Paredes was at the centre of an ugly scene after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain, with the former Roma and Juventus midfielder involved in a touchline brawl.
According to Corriere dello Sport, footage that quickly went viral showed Paredes grabbing Eric Garcia by the neck before throwing Gavi to the ground when the Barcelona man came to his teammate’s defence.
Already a losing finalist, Paredes was shown a red card after the final whistle, with Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and assistant Walter Samuel stepping in to break things up.
DOHA, QATAR – DECEMBER 03: Leandro Paredes and Paulo Dybala of Argentina on the bench during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Australia at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on December 03, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Gavi reveals what set Paredes off in World Cup final brawl
Gavi later revealed exactly what had provoked the reaction. “I simply asked him: ‘Didn’t Infantino answer your calls this time?’” the 21-year-old told Spanish media.
“The moment I said it, he completely lost his head. He didn’t even let me finish. What did I want to tell him? That football has finally beaten corruption.”
The flashpoint followed another incident, with a punch thrown by Nahuel Molina into Rodri’s side as the Spain captain passed by reportedly lighting the fuse, a chaotic coda to a night of Spanish celebration.
Leandro Paredes was sent off after the final whistle amidst ugly scenes from some of the Argentina players 🔴
Nahuel Molina also appeared to throw a punch towards one of the celebrating Spain players 😬 pic.twitter.com/LVItPtx08n
