A leading member of the defensive ranks at La Liga giants Barcelona will be unable to play his part in any of his country’s next three fixtures.
The player in question? Ronald Araújo.
Stopper Araújo of course took his place front and centre in the headlines earlier this summer, whilst at the Copa América.
This came after the 25-year-old found himself in the thick of a chaotic scene, in the aftermath of Uruguay’s semi-final meeting with Colombia.
Following a 1-0 defeat for the Celeste, a number of leading members of Marcelo Bielsa’s squad made their way into the stands, giving rise to a mass brawl involving the players, and supporters of Colombia.
Uruguay’s stars were adamant that as much came as little more than an effort to protect their families, but this has not proven enough for them to escape punishment.
As per a release on the part of CONMEBOL’s Disciplinary Committee, as cited by Diario Sport, no fewer than 11 Uruguayan players have been sanctioned for their respective roles in last month’s fracas.
The aforementioned Araújo is one such player, with Barcelona’s sidelined stalwart in line for a three-game suspension, as well as a 12,000 dollar fine.
The most harshly punished is Liverpool frontman Darwin Núñez, who will be unavailable for selection for any of his country’s next five outings.
Tottenham Hotspur star Rodrigo Bentancur, meanwhile, has been hit with a four-game ban.
Conor Laird | GSFN
