Gavi Believes Paredes Should Not Face Suspension After World Cup Final Incident

Spain midfielder Gavi does not think Argentina's Leandro Paredes deserves a suspension for his role in the altercation following the World Cup final.

During the heated moments after Spain's 1-0 victory, several Argentine players, including Paredes, Nahuel Molina, Thiago Almada, and assistant coach Roberto Ayala, were involved in a confrontation on the pitch.

The incident saw Paredes appear to push Spain's Eric Garcia by the throat. Meanwhile, an unused substitute, Gavi, tried to step in but was knocked down by Almada. Paredes then forced the Barcelona midfielder to the ground by placing his hand in his face.

Fifa has since appointed a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor to review the incident. Players or coaches involved could face suspensions, and the Argentine Football Association might also receive fines.

"I don’t think [Paredes] should be suspended," Gavi told El Partidazo de COPE. "I understand it’s not a good image for children but there’s another side to football, more physical and aggressive.""The most logical thing would have been to send him off during the match and that’s it. In the end, I think it’s all football and it has to be that way."

Ayala Offers Apology and Explanation

Roberto Ayala said he would apologize to Spain’s Dani Olmo after appearing to strike the Barcelona player in the face, which he described as more of a push than a punch.

"When the match ended, I saw a scuffle in the middle of the pitch and I went over to stop it from escalating because that’s not who we are," Ayala told Capital Radio in Valencia."I take responsibility for what I did. My intention was simply to separate them, nothing more."

Clarification on Paredes’ Red Card

Initially, Fifa’s commentator system mistakenly reported that Paredes had been sent off by referee Slavko Vincic for pushing Garcia. This red card was removed shortly afterward, and Fifa confirmed no disciplinary action was taken at the time.

In contrast, Argentina's Enzo Fernandez was shown a second yellow card during added time in the second half, leading to his dismissal.