Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has been suspended for one match and will miss his team’s last Copa America group match against Peru on Saturday. The suspension comes after Argentina was late returning for the second half in their previous Copa matches, a 2-0 win against Canada and a 1-0 triumph over Chile, as reported by the disciplinary commission of CONMEBOL.
Due to the suspension, Scaloni will also not be able to attend the post-match news conference. The disciplinary action was also taken against Chile coach Ricardo Gareca for the same reason, with Chile set to play Canada on Saturday in Orlando.
Despite the setback, defending Copa America champion Argentina has already secured a spot in the knockout stages. Assistant coach Walter Samuel, speaking at a press conference, expressed Scaloni’s disappointment with the situation, mentioning that the coaching staff prides itself on being correct and had rarely faced such sanctions in their six years on the job.
The regulations of Copa America stipulate that players must return to the pitch promptly after the break, with a warning issued after the first violation. The suspension was enforced following the second violation, with Canada’s players publicly expressing their discontent over Argentina’s delayed return for the second half of their match on June 20.
Argentina now needs just a draw against Peru to secure the top spot in Group A and continue their campaign in the tournament.
