Chilean official Carlos Chandía has explained why he decided against giving Messi a yellow card, which would have seen him miss the 2007 final.
Argentina won the Copa América for the second time in succession in the United States in July, despite captain Lionel Messi being forced off in the final. The Inter Miami star suffered an ankle injury against Colombia, which kept him out of action for two months. The former Barcelona icon made a spectacular comeback for The Herons in the 3-1 win over Philadelphia Union on Saturday, September 14, scoring twice and setting up another goal for Luis Suárez.
Messi is rarely ever out of the headlines but few of us would have expected a 17-year-old story to propel him back into the limelight before he next plays (most likely against New York City FC on Saturday, September 21).
How Messi escaped a Copa América final ban
Chilean referee Carlos Chandía, who is now works in politics, has revealed he chose not to show Messi a clear yellow card against Mexico in the 2007 Copa América semifinal, which ensured that he would not be suspended for the final, which Argentina lost 3-0 to Brazil.
On top of that, Chandía says he asked Messi for his jersey in exchange for being let off the hook, not exactly the most professional behaviour from a match official.
Referee Chandía misses final after overlooking Messi handball
Speaking to ESPN, Chandía claims his trade off with the Argentine superstar also cost him the chance to referee that year’s Copa América final.
“The incident with Messi cost me the chance to referee the Copa America final, because he was one yellow card away from missing the 2007 Copa America final, that was played in Venezuela,” the ex-ref said.
“Messi was one yellow card away [from being suspended] and I had given three minutes of injury time. Argentina were winning 3-0 against Mexico and Messi, out of nowhere, stops the ball with his hand. In the middle of the field, there was no chance of the Mexican team scoring or anything like that,” Chandía added.
“I told him: ‘Well, that’s a yellow card, but it will cost you your shirt’. And I didn’t show him the yellow card, because there were only two and a half minutes left, and it was 3-0. It would’ve stopped him from playing in the 2007 Copa América final, but, in the end, that yellow card meant I didn’t get to referee the 2007 Copa América final in Venezuela.” he confessed.
“Messi wanted to take it off and give it to me on the pitch and I told him ‘no, no, no, I’ll wait for him in the locker room’. He came to the locker room with the jersey, and he left it there for me. I don’t remember if he was wearing the number 18 at the time,” the story concluded.
Despite Messi’s presence, Argentina were resoundingly beaten by their arch rivals, with strikes from former Real Madrid forward Julio Baptista and ex-Barça full-back Dani Alves, as well as an own goal from Roberto Ayala, giving Brazil the trophy.