Paredes after FIFA sanctions: Gavi is the one who punched me!
He described his punishment as excessive
The fallout from the clash between the players of Argentina and Spain after the 2026 World Cup final continues to cast a shadow over both teams. FIFA's sanctions handed Argentina's Leandro Paredes a 10-match suspension, before an appeal opened the door to cutting the length of his absence from official matches.
Paredes branded the sanction "excessive", according to Spanish radio station Cadena SER, and stressed that the Argentine federation had lodged an appeal in the hope of reducing the number of matches. He also voiced his surprise at the punishment of Spain's only sanctioned player, Gavi, saying: "He is the one who punched me in the chest, but it's fine, that's what happened."
The financial fine imposed on Paredes amounts to 78,000 euros. FIFA also banned Nahuel Molina for seven matches, technical staff member Roberto Ayala for three and Thiago Almada for one, fining each of them 27,000 euros.
Players and technical staff were not the only targets. FIFA slapped a 270,000-euro fine on the Argentine Football Association over a political banner brought into the stadium by supporters and raised by some players during the celebrations.
The appeal, though, brought Argentina a positive turn. FIFA agreed the suspensions could be served during friendly matches, which significantly cuts the number of official games the sanctioned players will miss.
Paredes and Molina will still be unable to return for the national team during the rest of 2026. Yet the new decision hands the technical staff a chance to regain their services in official matches at a relatively faster pace.
Paredes's absence remains a long one all the same. Current data points to his possible return not coming before the international break in September and October 2027, meaning he could be away from the Argentina shirt for more than a year, just as the squad prepares for an important phase of rebuilding the side and settling the future of several key players.
