Colombian coach Reinaldo Rueda, Chile coach, criticized the lack of “temper” by Paraguayan referee Mario Díaz de Vivar for expelling Leo Messi and Gary Medel and said, after the 2-1 defeat against Argentina for the bronze of the Cup America, that the Red “lost mental control, National Daily learnt.
“That the best player in the world is expelled, I think it’s a sad situation,” Rueda told a news conference at the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo after the game. “It is a pity that it happens, that for a situation that could be handled in another way, the two complete sets do not remain,” he added.
The 10 was expelled along with the Chilean central Gary Medel in the minute 37 after a brawl between both that the referee punished with direct red. For Rueda, the brawl between them was a “normal situation, of dispute, of mourning”, which deserved a yellow card for each one.
“I have great respect for the referees, but it is a matter of management, a good arbitration is highlighted by finishing with 22 on the court, it was a matter of handling, knowing that those first minutes have been like this in several games of this Copa América “he commented.
“The balance, the mental control played a trick on us again,” he added, alluding to the mistakes made in the semi-final, in which they lost 0-3 to Peru.
However, he considered that the Red began “very well” the game, but that they fell from a “naivety”
“Chile committed a sin and it was deluding us all for the football that it exhibited, for the instance it came in. It made us dream of a final,” he added.