His entry into play against the Netherlands, in the quarter-finals, tipped the meeting into an execrable climate. True to his reputation, the Argentinian Leandro Paredes has, in his panoply, this vice which can parasitize a match and trip the opponent. And whether you like it or not, it’s a weapon that the Croatians will have to be wary of in the semi-final of the 2022 World Cup, this Tuesday, December 13.
When we talk about football and Argentina, the first flashes refer to the genius of Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, with the slew of goals from Gabriel Batistuta and Mario Kempes, the class of Daniel Passarella and Javier Zanetti… In the imagination, the Argentinians are above all aesthetes of the round ball, like their Brazilian rivals. Leandro Paredes is from a somewhat different mould.
The midfielder is not clumsy with the ball. When he was recruited by Paris Saint-Germain at the start of 2019, he was presented as a clear-sighted passer, capable of distributing long balls and heavy strikes. But PSG and France quickly discovered another facet. That of a surly and brawling player, often in bad shots and scuffles on the ground. Argentina’s quarter-final against the Netherlands brought it to light.
The artisan of the quagmire facing the Netherlands
Entering the game in the 67th minute, Leandro Paredes largely contributed to derailing this match. We played the 88th minute and Argentina led 2-1 against the Dutch who gave everything to equalise. It was the moment when the meeting twisted, when the n°5 violently tackled Nathan Aké. As if that weren’t enough to irritate the Oranges, Paredes followed up by shooting the ball at full power … straight towards the Dutch substitutes’ bench.
A senseless gesture that made the whole Dutch team jump. The substitutes sprung to do battle with Paredes. Captain Virgil van Dijk, 1.95m, saw red and sent the Argentinian flying to the ground with a blow from the chest. Referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz had to work to calm things down. Leandro Paredes got off with a yellow card. One more in his collection.
The International Football Federation did not like the show. Before kick-off, the Argentinians had been stung by the harsh comments of Louis van Gaal, the Batavian coach. Leandro Paredes unpinned and behind, the two teams swung into a hostile confrontation: 17 cards including one red, chambering of the Argentine players after the shot on goal for the victory, altercation in the spans of the stadium between Messi and a Dutch player… Fifa has opened disciplinary proceedings against the two teams. The Argentine Federation is targeted for potential violation of Articles 12 (Misconduct of Players and Officials) and 16 (Order and Security of the Match) “.
” It’s soccer »
To make the opponent lose control by taking him into a dirty fight, that’s also Leandro Paredes. A mastiff also ready to jump to defend a teammate taken to task. If he never imposed himself in Paris in the game, to the point of being sent to Juventus on loan this season, the midfielder was at least known for his pugnacity. A character trait that was missing in the Parisian workforce since the departure of Thiago Motta.
The Argentinian is not the first player of this kind – the Netherlands have long relied on Mark van Bommel, a reference in the matter – and there are other elements in his team capable of being as nasty than him. But his “performance” on Friday brought old debates up to date. How far can you go to ruin a game? Does vice have a place on a football pitch? Is this a good example? Does the end justify the means? Pros and cons are struggling on questions that probably do not have a clean, unique and clear-cut answer.
The Argentinian team doesn’t really care. Asked at a press conference on Monday December 12, coach Lionel Scaloni evaded: “ The match was played as it was supposed to be played. (…) It’s football. There are times when you attack, others when you defend, and there can be discussions, but there is a referee. » « Everyone must know how to win and know how to lose “, he added. Nicolas Tagliafico also spoke about the tensions of the last match, in particular the final chamber after the penalty shootout. ” It’s soccer “, he repeated. ” We are not machines. There are emotions, it happens. (…) That’s how it is, it’s football, a quarter-final… »
Maybe that vice was an ingredient that Argentina lacked to win. After 18 years of scarcity and four lost finals, she lifted the Copa America last year. And 36 years after the last world title obtained by the late Diego Maradona, the Albiceleste is only two games away from a potential new title. And in the country, we will probably not blame Leandro Paredes for his particular game if the World Cup is there.