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Liverpool forward Darwin Núñez and many of his Uruguay teammates rushed into the stands as fans b rawled at Bank of America Stadium after suffering a 1-0 loss to Colombia in the Copa America semifinal. The Colombians sealed a spot in the final against Argentina thanks to Crystal Palace star Jefferson Lerma's 39th-minute strike.
But it wasn't a straightforward result as the Los Cafetero saw a red card for full-back Daniel Muñoz in first-half extra time. Talking about Uruguay, Federico Valverde played well while others struggled as the La Celeste were knocked out.
Nunez and Uruguay teammates fight Colombia fans after 0-1 loss
But after this high-intensity matchup, a scrum broke out behind the Uruguay bench after Mexican referee César Ramos’ final whistle. In a stadium where 90% of fans were in Colombia's favour a small group of Uruguay fans fought with Colombian supporters as beverages were thrown. Soon, Núñez and his teammates stormed into the crowd and were seen attacking Colombian fans.
This is a disaster, our family was in danger: Uruguay captain José Giménez
Speaking about the incident, Uruguay captain José Giménez revealed his players confronted the crowd to protect their families. “This is a disaster, our family was in danger,” Giménez said. “We had to get into the stands to get our loved ones out, with small newborn babies. There was not a single police officer … and we were there standing up for our own.”
CONMEBOL released a statement on the incident stating, “CONMEBOL strongly condemns any act of violence that affects football. Our work is based on the conviction that soccer connects and unites us through its positive values. There is no place for intolerance and violence on and off the field,” the organization said. “We invite everyone in the remaining days to pour all their passion into cheering on their national teams and having an unforgettable party.”
