A heated duel took place at the Estadio Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires, which brought together Argentina against Brazil, Tuesday (25/3) local time in the continuation of the South American zone World Cup Qualifiers. In addition to the long-standing rivalry between the two teams, Rapinha’s statement before the match added to the tension of the match.
“We will destroy Argentina. On and off the pitch. I will also score against them,” said Raphinha during an interview with Romario, a former Brazilian striker on Romario TV.
Then, former Argentina player Angel Di Maria sent a reply by sending three laughing emojis on SportCenterESPN’s post sharing a video of Raphinha’s interview on Instagram.
As reported by Marca, Raphinha’s controversial statement attacking the Argentine team made the Albiceleste players not forget it. When they were ahead in the score, this moment became an opportunity to remind the Brazilian player’s words.
In the 40th minute, with the score at 3-1, a foul by Tagliafico on Raphinha sparked tensions. The incident sparked the first scuffle on the pitch, with several Argentine players rushing towards Raphinha to verbally retaliate.
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Nicolás Otamendi was the first player to approach Raphinha, with a provocative gesture, as if challenging the Brazilian to “speak now” after previously making a scathing statement.
Not only Otamendi, Leandro Paredes also joined the fray. He directed his remarks at Rodrygo, calling him “very bad” at playing. However, Paredes quickly hit back by mentioning that he had won two Copa América and one World Cup.
The situation on the field is getting more heated with the ongoing verbal exchange. Players from both teams are starting to gather, adding to the tension without it coming to physical contact.
When the first half ended, the atmosphere was heated again. Almost all the players on the field crowded around the referee, questioning the various decisions made during the match.
Although it didn’t come to a scuffle, heated arguments were inevitable. Players were seen arguing with each other with emotional expressions, showing how important this match was for both teams.
The duel often called El Clásico de las Américas this time proved that the rivalry between Brazil and Argentina does not only occur in the game, but also in the narrative and emotions that color the match throughout the match.
