Teammates Turn on Each Other as Brazil Knocked Out of Copa America
In a tense and brutal clash between Brazil and Uruguay in the Copa America, Barcelona teammates found themselves at odds with each other. The match ended in a 0-0 draw, with Uruguay eventually prevailing 4-2 in a penalty shootout.
The game was marred by physicality, with a total of 41 fouls committed by both teams. One particular incident saw Endrick, who was filling in for the suspended Vinicius Jr., engage in a heated exchange with his Barcelona teammate Ronald Araujo. The 17-year-old Endrick fouled Araujo, who retaliated by shoving the young player to the ground.
The altercation did not end there, as Brazil captain Raphinha, also a teammate of Araujo at Barcelona, stepped in and shoved the Uruguay star. The referee intervened and had a stern word with both players, but no cards were shown.
Unfortunately for Araujo, his game came to an early end when he was substituted due to an injury after just 30 minutes. Uruguay also suffered a setback when Nahitan Nandez received a red card after a VAR review, reducing their squad to 10 men for the remainder of the match.
Despite being a man down, Marcelo Bielsa’s side managed to hold on and take the game to penalties. Bielsa praised his team’s resilience, saying, “Everything that happens, happens Uruguayan style, because the players are the ones that give their all to the team.”
The penalty shootout proved to be nerve-wracking, but Uruguay remained composed and emerged victorious with a 4-2 scoreline. Bielsa highlighted the character and accuracy required in penalty shootouts and commended his team for their calmness.
For Brazil, this defeat marks their second consecutive quarter-final exit via penalties in a major tournament, following their loss to Croatia in the 2022 World Cup. Endrick expressed his disappointment but remained optimistic, stating, “We want to put Brazil at the top, we will continue working and preparing for the World Cup qualifiers.”
Uruguay now advances to the semi-finals of the Copa America, where they will face Colombia.