Why are Scaloni and Gareca suspended from the Copa America?

Following the recent turn of events during the ongoing Copa America tournament, South American soccer’s governing body, CONMEBOL, has taken disciplinary measures against Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and Chile coach Ricardo Gareca. Both coaches were suspended one game each due to their teams’ late arrivals to the field. They broke the tournament rules.

CONMEBOL’s statement on Friday confirmed the suspensions, citing violations of Articles 104 and 145 of the tournament’s regulations. Those articles state that teams must be on the pitch in time for the scheduled start or resumption of play. The governing body stressed the importance of adhering to those rules to ensure the smooth and timely running of the competition. As a result, both coaches will not be on the bench for their teams’ final group stage matches.

The incident involving Argentina occurred last week during the opening match of the Copa America against Canada. The defending champions were late coming onto the pitch for the second half, prompting criticism from Canada coach Jesse Marsch, who suggested Argentina should face financial penalties for the delay. Meanwhile, Chile coached by Ricardo Gareca was late in bringing on a player during half-time of Tuesday’s match against Argentina.

Financial penalties were also imposed.

Article 145 of the competition regulations clearly outlines the consequences of not adhering to the scheduled times. It states: “If a team’s players arrive on the pitch later than the scheduled start or restart time, or fail to comply with the instructions of the referee or match delegate, the responsible association may be sanctioned by the CONMEBOL disciplinary bodies with a warning for a first offence and a fine for a second or subsequent offence.”

In addition to the suspensions, the governing body fined the Argentine and Chilean football federations $15,000 each. The penalties are further consequences for the players’ failure to comply with the tournament’s rules on punctuality.

Gareca’s ban prevented him from participating in the official pre-match conference before the match against Canada, further complicating matters. Sergio Santín addressed the media on his behalf, explaining the situation and CONMEBOL’s disciplinary decision. Similarly, Lionel Scaloni will not be present for Argentina’s match against Peru.

Who will replace Scaloni and Gareca?

Argentina currently top Group A with six points, securing a place in the quarter-finals. However, they will face Peru on Saturday without their coach, Lionel Scaloni, on the bench. In addition, Lionel Messi is also out due to discomfort after an injury suffered against Chile. This adds a layer of complexity to Argentina’s final group stage match at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Chile, which has only picked up one point so far, will face group runners-up Canada in their final group match. Ricardo Gareca will also be absent from the bench, with his assistant Sergio Santín taking care of his duties. Gareca will not appear on the pitch during the match and will have to watch it from the stands.

Photo sources: IMAGO / PHOTOxPHOTO : IMAGO / Icon Sportswire