The Argentine Football Association will appeal against FIFA suspensions given to Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina following a post-match brawl after the World Cup final. Argentina took the silver medal at the tournament after head coach Lionel Scaloni's team suffered a 0-1 defeat to Spain, courtesy of a winning goal scored by Spanish forward Ferran Torres.
A major altercation erupted immediately after the final whistle of the championship match. Paredes, the Boca Juniors central midfielder, grabbed Spanish defender Eric Garcia by the throat and knocked midfielder Gavi to the ground. Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic showed leniency by issuing only a yellow card to Paredes during the match, but world football governing body FIFA has now handed him a 10-match ban and a $90,000 fine.
FIFA also issued a seven-match ban and a $90,000 fine to defender Nahuel Molina. Midfielder Thiago Almada received a one-match suspension alongside a $30,000 fine, while Scaloni's assistant coach Roberto Ayala, a former Argentina international defender, was given a three-match ban and a $30,000 fine.
Appeals to FIFA and CAS
The Argentine Football Association, known as the AFA, disagrees with the severity of the suspensions given to Paredes and Molina. According to Argentine newspaper La Nacion, the governing body plans to submit an appeal to the FIFA Appeal Committee and to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the independent judicial body based in Lausanne, Switzerland, in record time.
Under FIFA regulations, the AFA cannot appeal the lighter punishments handed to Almada and Ayala, but it is permitted to challenge the longer bans given to Paredes and Molina. Andres Paton Urich, the legal advisor to the AFA, stated that the organization would lodge an appeal against sanctions he described as unfair and exaggerated. He said the association would request FIFA's written grounds before presenting its case to the Appeal Committee in an effort to reduce the penalties.
Argentina currently has no official fixtures scheduled for the remainder of the calendar year. However, the national team could potentially play six matches, including four scheduled across September and October and two planned for November.
As reported by La Nacion, the AFA remains confident that the suspended players will be allowed to serve their match bans during friendly fixtures. The newspaper added that in a worst-case scenario, Paredes and Almada would only miss a small number of qualifying matches for the 2030 World Cup.
Paredes considers international future
Following the disciplinary sanctions, Paredes admitted that he is unsure whether he will continue his international career with Argentina. The midfielder explained that deciding his future would be a gradual process that requires time to digest and evaluate without making hasty choices.
Paredes noted that the situation must be discussed within the squad, adding that continuing with the national group under these conditions would be extremely difficult. He indicated that several members of the Argentina squad would need to reflect carefully on their international futures following the tournament.
The midfielder made his senior international debut for Argentina on June 13, 2017, in a 6-0 victory over Singapore. Since his debut, Paredes has earned 84 caps for the national team, scoring five goals and providing seven assists during his international career.
At club level, Paredes began his professional career with Argentine giants Boca Juniors in Buenos Aires before playing across Europe. His career history includes spells with Italian clubs Chievo Verona, AS Roma, Empoli, and Juventus, alongside stints with Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg and French Champions League side Paris Saint-Germain.
