Bielsa labels US-hosted Copa America as 'disaster', defends players for fighting with fans

Charlotte, July 13 (IANS) The 2024 Copa America began with Argentina defeating Canada 2-0 in the opening game. Following the game, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni and goalkeeper Emi Martinez criticised the state of the pitches.

Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa has made a shocking statement labelling the Copa America organisers 'a plague of liars'.

"They cannot continue to deceive us that the pitches are perfect. They held a press conference saying that it was a visual issue, that Vinicius (was wrong), that Scaloni should not speak. Scaloni was told not to speak anymore. All threats..," said Bielsa in a press conference.

"This is a plague of liars. Scaloni spoke once and dared to say that the seams (of the natural grass that they placed on the artificial grass) do not close. And the training pitches were a disaster. And Bolivia did not train, and the penalty to Brazil and all the injustices. It is a disgrace, in a country that as an organizer has (to take) responsibility," he added.

Uruguay looked like a great team throughout the course of the tournament. The side defeated Brazil in the quarter-finals but went on to lose against Colombia in the semi-finals. Argentina will be taking on Colombia in the finals of the tournament on Monday (IST).

Ugly scenes transpired in the aftermath of the second quarter-final between Uruguay and Colombia at the Bank of America Stadium. A group of Colombia fans attacked the Uruguayan players’ families, who were seated in a section near the touchline.

This was followed by Uruguayan players having to go into the stands to protect their loved ones. Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez was in the spotlight as the striker was seen throwing punches in the stands in what can only be described as a courageous moment.

"The only thing I can say is that the players reacted as any human being would have done. If they are attacking his wife, his mother, a baby, his wife, his sister... What do you do? "Do you ask if they are going to sanction those who went to defend? There is a degree of complicity, because the questions also act in a complicit manner,” said the former Leeds United manager.

“You (the journalists) have to say this, not what I have to say. When you see that there is a violent act, of course who is going to be in favor of a violent reaction, but the first thing you have to see is what the reaction is in response to, and if there would have been the possibility of doing it differently," concluded the Uruguay head coach.

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