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Darwin Nunez was involved in a brawl in the stands at the Copa America (Image: Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
Liverpool star Darwin Nunez was embroiled in a shocking brawl with fans following Uruguay's Copa America exit at the hands of Colombia. Nunez and teammates scaled the stands as punches were thrown and chaos ensued inside Bank of America Stadium, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The tension between the two nations reached boiling point after the final whistle, as Colombia clinched a narrow 1-0 victory thanks to Jefferson Lerma's 39th-minute header. Once the on-pitch chaos had died down, the Uruguay players made their way towards the stands.
Nunez led a contingent of Uruguay players into the crowd, where they were met with hostility from Colombian fans, sparking a full-blown fight between the players and supporters. Nunez was hit by a fan and was seen defending himself, retaliating against several supporters.
Barcelona's Ronald Araujo also found himself in the midst of the melee, with thousands of fans recording the shocking scenes on their phones. Security staff stepped in to separate the two groups, quickly escorting the Uruguay players towards the dressing room.
Nunez went into the stands as punches were thrown (Image: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
According to Uruguayan news outlet El Pais, the Uruguay players had ventured into the crowd to support family and friends seated behind the team bench. With the stadium largely filled with Colombian fans, the relatives of the Uruguay players were subjected to abuse.
Nunez led the charge of players into the stands as their loved ones were guided onto the pitch for safety. However, the situation rapidly escalated and turned violent.
The chaos at the match saw Uruguay's national team director Jorge Giordano and press officer Felipe Cotelo caught up in the mayhem. Amidst the turmoil, Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte was reported to have dashed to the pitch to aid his family members who were injured.
The clashes came after Colombia beat Uruguay 1-0 (Image: Getty)
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A contingent of Uruguayan fans faced serious injuries during the clash, starkly outnumbered by Colombian supporters. Uruguay defender Jose Maria Gimenez didn't hold back his criticism of the event, calling it a "disaster" due to the lack of police presence.
"It was a disaster; there was no police and we had to defend our families," declared Gimenez. "This is because of two or three who have one drink too many. A certain sector of the Colombian fans made an avalanche where our loved ones were."
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In the wake of these violent episodes, CONMEBOL, the South American football's governing body, has announced it will undertake a full review before Sunday's Copa America final. Despite being the underdogs, Colombia, on a remarkable 28-game streak without loss over more than two years, is set to clash with Argentina in Miami.
On Argentina's end, the drive is high to secure a third successive title after triumphs in the Copa America 2021 and last year's World Cup under Lionel ball maestro Messi. Having not secured an international trophy until 202prolific Messi, now part of MLS's Inter Miami following his move last year, Messi is vying to strengthen his illustrious legacy even further come this crucial Sunday in his new adoptive city.
