17 November 2023 , 22:08
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Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte appeared to call Argentina star Rodrigo De Paul 'Lionel Messi's c**k sucker' as things turned ugly during the World Cup qualifier.
Argentina lost 2-0 at home to Uruguay on Thursday night. Tensions escalated on the pitch around 19 minutes into the game as Ugarte made an obscene gesture towards De Paul, resulting in heated exchanges between the players. The Inter Miami star reacted strongly and had to be restrained after placing his hand on Mathias Olivera's throat.
None of the players involved in the incidents were handed cards for their behaviour. However, Ugarte received a yellow card in the 39th minute and will not be available for selection against Uruguay's game against Bolivia. During post-match interviews, Messi, though still angry, opted for careful wording to avoid any further controversy or fines.
He said: "These kinds of games, qualifiers, against Uruguay, it's always like that," Messi told reporters. "I prefer not to say what I think. Young people have to learn to respect their elders. These games are always intense but very respectful, so they have to learn a little."
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After the match, Ugarte spoke with the Spanish publication Referi, explaining the gesture.
"We always try to put pressure. Obviously, it was going to be very difficult because they have a lot of quality, but we always found ours convinced of the idea, and that was very important to carry it out," said Ugarte. "It was a great game, and now I'm thinking about Bolivia."
While doing the interview, Ugarte was informed that his gesture toward De Paul had gone viral. In response, he said: "Ah, those are things from the party that remain there. Now to enjoy."
De Paul also considered it to be "nonsense" and claimed nothing significant happened. De Paul preferred to focus on football and acknowledged that Uruguay outperformed Argentina. Despite the setback, he stressed the importance of motivating his team to rise and bounce back in their upcoming game against Brazil.
Ugarte appeared to wind up De PaulDespite their recent loss, the current World Cup champions, Argentina, still maintain their lead in the World Cup qualifying standings for South America. They have won 12 points from five matches played so far. Uruguay's latest win has boosted their position to second place with 10 points, followed closely by Colombia and Venezuela with nine and eight points, respectively.
Argentina's upcoming challenge is an away match against Brazil on November 21. Brazil is currently in fifth place after two consecutive defeats in the standings.
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