Conmebol have handed indefinite bans to both the referee and his video assistant for missing Nicolas Otamendi’s violent forearm smash during Argentina’s clash with Brazil.
The two South American giants played out a 0-0 draw in San Juan on Tuesday night, a result which clinched Argentina’s spot in next winter’s World Cup.
But despite a lack of goalmouth action, it was a game still littered with controversy, most notably the decision to not dismiss Otamendi after he clearly struck Raphinha in the face with his arm.
Referee Andres Cunha missed the foul altogether and that error was compounded by his VAR Esteban Ostojich who declared it was nothing more than a yellow card offence.
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In footage leaked by Conmebol, Ostojich can be heard telling Cunha that the offence was only a yellow due to “the average intensity of the blow”.
Leeds United star Raphinha was left on the floor and bloodied, with Brazil boss Tite labelling the error as “simply impossible” in his post-match press conference.
“I'm going to take off the mask to talk,” Tite told Globo Esporte . “And I'm going to say what I said in the locker room for arbitration.
“And I will assume. Cunha is an extraordinary referee, their technical quality and perception are very high, a very high disciplinary aspect, but arbitration requires a work team. Who is in the VAR?
“It's simply impossible, I'll repeat, it's simply impossible not to see Otamendi's elbow in Raphinha.”
The Brazilian Football Federation (CFB) had already confirmed they would be looking to take action against Cunha, demanding he no longer officiated on matches in Brazil.
However, the South American governing body have now offered their own sanctions, confirming that both Cunha and Ostojich would be handed an indefinite ban.
A statement released on Wednesday reads:” Conmebol considers that there was ‘violent conduct by player Nicolás Hernán Gonzalo Otamendi (ARG), against an opponent, putting his physical integrity at risk with the use of his arm over his face.
“In light of this, the Conmebol Referees Committee suspended referees Andrés Cunha and Esteban Ostojich indefinitely in the exercise of their functions in competitions organized by Conmebol. The referees have already been notified.”
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Along with Cunha, referee Roberto Tobar has also been banned for his role in Brazil’s qualifier with Colombia last week.
During the game in Sao Paulo, Neymar confronted Tobar and went chest-to-chest with the official, but was not dismissed.
A further statement from Conmebol said Tobar “made serious and manifest errors in the disciplinary conduct of the match, not taking the corresponding decisions in accordance with current regulations, putting the control of the game at risk.”
