Bielsa receives curious suspension at the Copa
Marcelo Bielsa cost Uruguay too much in the Copa America semifinal match - and causes trouble: The Uruguayan team's coach will be suspended, and his employer asked to pay. Sportingly, the consequences are likely clear.
For the quarterfinals, Uruguay is almost qualified - but in the last group match at the Copa America on Monday, the team must play without coach Marcelo Bielsa. According to the tournament organizers on Sunday, the Argentine was suspended for the match against the USA. The reason: The 68-year-old is alleged to have caused a delay in the second half during Uruguay's 5:0 win over Bolivia.
Bielsa's offense is not the first of this kind at the South American continental tournament: Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni, Chile's trainer Ricardo Gareca, and Venezuela's training staffer Fernando Batista have already received penalties for allegedly delaying the resumption of play.
Surprise team advances
In the case of Bielsa, who has managed Premier League club Leeds United for several years, the Uruguayan football association will also be asked to pay: 15,000 US dollars for the trainer's misconduct. Uruguay's assistant coach Diego Reyes stated at a press conference that the Copa America had been particularly harsh in this regard. "We made the necessary preparations to avoid delays in the last game, but there were still unresolved issues that could not be cleared up," he said. "In a dressing room during a game, there is a lot going on, and at this tournament, they were very strict with the short time frame."
Uruguay's entry into the round of the last eight after their thrashing of Bolivia and a 3:1 win against Canada is all but assured. The USA, on the other hand, needs further points to advance on their own merit after earning three points in two games.
Meanwhile, Venezuela remains the surprise team of the Copa: The Vinotintos advanced to the quarterfinals with a 3:0 (0:0) win over Jamaica without a point lost and will face Canada in the round of the last eight on Friday. Argentina, the world and South American champions, open the knockout rounds a day earlier against Ecuador, who surprisingly knocked out Mexico with a 0:0 in Group B.
Despite the suspension, Uruguay still has a chance to progress in the Copa America, as they only need a draw against the USA to advance. This suspension isn't an unprecedented incident in Copa America, as Argentina's coach and Chile's trainer, along with Venezuela's training staff, have also faced similar penalties for delaying the resumption of play.
