Claudio Bravo Exposes Controversial Refereeing in Chile’s Copa América Exit: ‘You Just Want to Grab the Referee by the Neck’

The controversial refereeing of Wilmar Roldán in Chile’s draw against Canada, which ultimately led to La Roja’s elimination from the Copa América, continues to be a topic of discussion. This time, it was the national team captain, Claudio Bravo, who directed his criticism towards the Colombian referee and relived the events of that match played at the Exploria Stadium.

In a conversation with Marcelo Ramírez on his podcast El Legado, Bravo stated that there are things that are not within our reach to fight. There are things you cannot compete with. He elaborated, Even in the first match (against Peru), you see strange things. There are calls, situations within the game that when you’re inside competing, you just want to grab the referee by the neck.

Bravo Felt Heavily Disadvantaged in the Copa América

The former Barcelona goalkeeper added that the second match, against Argentina, was exactly the same. You see things that don’t usually happen. Bravo felt very aggrieved during the Copa América, explaining, The last match, I had to experience it from the outside, and when you’re outside, you’re more attentive to the details; you can see more things and say, ‘there are things you can’t compete with’.

But Claudio Bravo didn’t stop there. He also stated that I got the feeling that, if it wasn’t a red card, or if we were getting the advantage, they would call a penalty afterwards. That’s the feeling I got. The goalkeeper further reflected, When the referee allows you to say 1,200 things to his face, and 1,100 of them are insults, and he doesn’t say anything to you, you say ‘damn, this guy is screwing me over’. He’s allowing me to say a thousand things to his face and he doesn’t say anything. That he doesn’t sanction me, doesn’t put it in the report, it’s obvious.

Bravo Questioned the Lack of VAR Intervention

Finally, Bravo concluded, Those situations are strange. The slap (from Bombito to Echeverría), which everyone saw, how can they not see it with all the technology?.

Conclusion

Claudio Bravo’s candid remarks shed light on the frustrations and perceived injustices experienced by the Chilean national team during their Copa América campaign. His comments highlight the need for consistent and fair officiating, as well as the effective use of technology to ensure the integrity of the game. As the team looks to regroup and prepare for future challenges, Bravo’s words serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of addressing these issues in the pursuit of success.