Former referee admits saving Messi from sending off for shirt

Former Chilean international referee Carlos Chandia has admitted that he saved Argentine star Lionel Messi from a deserved red card in stoppage time, allowing him to play in the 2007 Copa America final in exchange for his shirt.

This admission came on Thursday, seventeen years after Chandia refereed the 2007 Copa America semi-final match in Venezuela between Argentina and Mexico, during his statements to the American network “ESPN”.

Messi stopped one of the attacks with his hand, when the score indicated that “Tango” was leading by three goals to none, about two minutes before the end, which would have cost him a second yellow card and thus his expulsion from the match.

“Messi touched the ball with his hand intentionally, but it was in the midfield and there was no chance for Mexico to score,” said Chandia, 59. “I didn’t give him a yellow card, I just warned him because there were 2:30 minutes left to play and I didn’t want to prevent him from playing in the final.”

"I went to Messi and told him that this play deserved a yellow card, but my decision (not to give him a yellow card) will cost you your shirt," he added.

After the end of the match, the former Chilean referee went to the Argentine national team's room to receive Messi's shirt as a gift after protecting him from a yellow card against Mexico.

Chandia continued: “In fact, Messi wanted to give me the shirt on the pitch, but I told him: No, no, take it to the locker room, then he came and left it for me there.”

It is noteworthy that the final match at that time witnessed Argentina's loss to eternal rival Brazil by three goals to none.

(Anatolia)