By Wilson Florez
Sep 17, 2024, 08:53 AM EDT
The former referee Carlos Chandia will be much talked about in the coming days. The Chilean judge acknowledged having been “softer” with Lionel Messi in a very specific action in the 2007 Copa América.
This story goes back to the semi-finals of the 2007 Copa America in Venezuela. Mexico and Argentina faced each other in these instances. The score was not an important factor: The Albiceleste defeated El Tri 0-3 with goals from Heinze, Messi and Riquelme.
The curious fact is that, in stoppage time and with the game already settled, Lionel Messi is said to have touched the ball with his hand in the middle of the pitch. Carlos Chandia explained that, although it was a warning play, The context was not the most demanding for this rigor in the sanction.
The former referee also recalled that a yellow card would have taken Lionel Messi out of the 2007 Copa América final against Brazil. Chandia took advantage of the circumstances and asked for the former FC Barcelona player’s shirt.
“Messi picks up a ball out of nowhere and cuts it with his hand, but in the middle of the field. No chance of scoring from the Mexican team or anything like that. So, it happens that I told him: ‘This play is yellow, but it will cost you your shirt’And I didn’t show him the yellow card, there were two and a half minutes left, and the score was 3-0. Showing him the yellow card would have cut off his chance to play in the Copa America final.“, Chandia told ESPN FShow.
Continuing to tell his anecdote, Carlos Chandia acknowledged that he achieved his goal: getting Lionel Messi’s jersey. After “saving” his participation in the 2007 Copa América final, Messi handed the shirt to Chandia in the locker room.
“He left the shirt for me in the locker room afterwards. He even wanted to take it off on the pitch and I told him: ‘No, no, no; take it to the locker room for me.’ And he came to the locker room with the shirt, he left it there for me.”, he added.
Argentina lost the final
Despite having made this decision that favored Lionel Messi and the Argentine national team, The Albiceleste could not win the final against Brazil. The Canarinha won the 2007 Copa América with a comfortable score of 3-0 thanks to goals from Baptista, Ayala and Dani Alves.
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