"Families in danger"

Scandal! Nunez fights with fans in the stands

Uruguay star Darwin Nunez got into a fight with Colombian fans in the stands.(Bild: APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Buda Mendes)

Unbelievable scenes after the second semi-final of the Copa América! After Colombia had secured their place in the final with a 1:0 win against Uruguay, Uruguay players Darwin Nunez, Ronald Araújo and José Maria Giménez got into heated arguments with opposing fans. Nunez in particular was unstoppable and literally came to blows with the spectators.

"This is a disaster. Our family was in danger and there were no police around," said Uruguay captain Jose Maria Gimenez: "We had to go into the stands to get our loved ones out with tiny newborn babies."

There had been no separation of fan camps at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium. The vast majority of spectators were Colombian supporters. After the final whistle, riots broke out around the Uruguayan family block, which were probably instigated by Colombian fans. The fights were only stopped by the police after several minutes. "It happens at every game because there are people who don't know how to handle a few drinks," said Gimenez. The Atletico Madrid centre-back hopes that "those who organize this will be a bit more careful with families in the future".

Association reacts
In a statement, the South American soccer association and Copa organizer CONMEBOL condemned "in the strongest terms any acts of violence that affect soccer" and called for "intolerance on and off the pitch to be given no place". Things also got heated on the pitch after the match. Players and staff from both teams clashed in the center circle.