Fans Outraged by Alan Benitez’s ‘Vile and Hateful’ Tackle in Copa Libertadores Clash
In a highly contentious Copa Libertadores match between Cerro Porteno and Colo-Colo, fans on social media condemned a ‘vile and hateful’ tackle by Alan Benitez in the final moments.
Crucial Final Group Stage Match
Wednesday night marked the final group stage game of the competition. The Paraguayan team, Cerro Porteno, desperately needed a win to advance to the knockout rounds. With the score tied at 1-1, a reckless move by Benitez in the 99th minute sealed their fate.
The Incident
In a bid to halt Maximiliano Falcon’s run, the 30-year-old Benitez chased down the defender and launched himself at the Uruguayan. Benitez appeared to deliberately stamp on Falcon’s ankle, causing him to fall to the ground in pain.
https://twitter.com/OoCLibertadores/status/1796010584330145831
Reaction from Fans and VAR Intervention
The incident drew a swift VAR intervention from Leonard Mosquera, alerting on-pitch referee Wilmar Roldan to the dangerous tackle. Benitez was shown a straight red card and was dismissed from the game just before the final whistle. Fans on social media were unanimous in their outrage, with one stating, “That might be one of the most vile and hateful tackles that I’ve ever seen.”
Calls for Severe Punishment
Another fan suggested the tackle could be considered “an assault,” while a third called it a “Ballon d’Or worthy foul,” highlighting its severity. Some fans even called for Benitez to receive a lifetime ban, with one commenter writing, “Should be banned for the rest of his career. This is criminal. Straight up assault.”
Falcon’s Injury
After the match, Falcon revealed the extent of his injury, stating, “Apparently I have a Grade 2 or 3 sprain from the tackle. I can walk, but it hurts a lot.”
Carlos Palacios initially put Colo-Colo ahead with a penalty in Asuncion on Wednesday night. Federico Carrizo equalized for Cerro Porteno ten minutes later, but they were unable to score again. The draw allowed Colo-Colo to progress to the round of 16 by a narrow margin, finishing second in Group A due to a better away goals record, alongside group leaders and defending champions, Fluminense.
