“It was a penalty and I didn’t see it.” The confession of the referee who directed the 2019 Copa América semifinal between Argentina and Brazil

Five years after the semifinal of the Copa America 2019 that Brazil beat Argentina 2-0, the referee of that match, the Ecuadorian Roddy Zambrano, admitted that he was wrong. And that he should have sanctioned a penalty in favor of the albiceleste team. The 46-year-old referee spoke with the YouTube channel “Federación Postera” and confessed: “In that match there was a lot of commotion because Argentina lost. And obviously they ended up blaming me. There was a penalty play, which everyone knows. It was a penalty, and I didn’t see it on the field. And the VAR (in the hands of the Uruguayan Leodán González) obviously did not call me. So, in that sense, they said, ‘You can continue.’ And we continue, like a normal game.”

The match had two major controversies and Zambrano did not specify which one he was referring to.. In the first, the Brazilian Dani Alves violated the passage of Sergio “Kun” Agüero. In the second, the midfielder Arthur prevented Nicolas Otamendi hit a corner with a header with a blow. Zambrano did not see either play, and the VAR did not call him either.

Arthur’s play with Otamendi

A couple of days later, the then head of referees of the Conmebolthe Brazilian Wilson Seneme, clarified the doubts: “(Agüero’s play) was not a penalty: it is a stomp from the forward to the defender, there were no review characteristics,” said Seneme. However, regarding Arthur and Otamendi he admitted the error: “In Otamendi’s play we saw evidence to review. We gave a general return to the referees and said there was potential for review. Giving the referee a second chance is complying with the protocol. It is better to invite a referee to the review than not to review.” In other words, The second one looked much more like a penalty -the match was already 2-0 in favor of the Brazilians- than the first, just before the locals scored the second goal.

“If I had seen it, it would be logical that I would charge it.. If I saw that play, I called a penalty kick. “I sanctioned him!” Zambrano insisted. The Ecuadorian, who returns to work as a VAR assistant, admitted that this mistake – he even had police custody in the hotel – hurt him and his career. made it leave Conmebol’s consideration. “That was the most transcendental play and, obviously, as Messi we know what it is… A word from him rings around the world. They worked for the finest thing, which was arbitration. And, well, they took me out. Now, look how beautiful football is: now I have revenge and I return as VAR.”

Dani Alves’ penalty against Otamendi that Zambrano did not sanction

In the talk with the aforementioned YouTube channel, Zambrano also told what Messi criticized him during that semifinal: “He told me that he charged the small ones against because Brazil was local, and all that. But he never insulted me or disrespected me.. These are things that are talked about on the court, but he was never rude to me, nor did he ever insult me ​​or anything like that.” Once Argentina’s participation in the continental tournament ended with a third place – after beating Chile in a match in which the captain was expelled – the man from Rosario ranted against Conmebol: “I have a lot of anger. She didn’t deserve that red. We do not have to be part of this corruption. They disrespected us throughout the Cup. Corruption and referees do not allow people to enjoy football and the show”Messi criticized.

The footballer had after that Copa América three open files in Conmebol: two disciplinary cases (one for the red card against Chile after headbutting Gary Medel and another for his statements after the match) and another before the Ethics Commission of the governing body of South American football, which demanded evidence about what had happened. saying. The performance of the referees in the tournament in general, and that of Zambrano in particular, prompted an official letter of complaint from Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia, president of the AFA. The Executive Council of Conmebol did not tolerate the terms of that letter and punished him by removing him from the FIFA Council.

The confessions of Roddy Zambrano, the referee of Brazil 2 vs. Argentina 0 in 2019

“Unfortunately, what happened in the match between our team and Brazil deserves deep reflection “which calls into question whether the principles of ethics, loyalty and transparency that you repeatedly invoke have been observed,” Tapia accused in the document. And he added: “This reflection finds support in all irregularities noticed before and during the aforementioned matchwhere it has been shown that The National Team was clearly harmed by the refereeing body headed by referee Roddy Zambrano throughout the development of the match, and in particular for the non-use of VAR in two specific plays that would have, without a doubt, reversed the final result,” continued the top leader of Argentine football. Almost five years later, the referee of that game admitted that he made a mistake in at least one play.

THE NATION

Themes

Copa América Brazil 2019Nicolás OtamendiSergio AgüeroLionel MessiVAR in footballDani Alves

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