Nicolas Tagliafico has admitted that more brawls could keep happening at the tail end of the Qatar World Cup ahead of Argentina's semi-final clash against Croatia on Tuesday.
The White and Sky Blue were involved in a feisty match-up against the Netherlands on Friday evening, with referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz issuing more than a dozen yellow cards and showing a red to Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries after the game ended. In all, 10 Argentina players and staff were given a booking during the contest, including manager Lionel Scaloni and coach Walter Samuel.
Scaloni's men ended up progressing into the last four thanks to a 4-3 win on penalties after the game finished 2-2 after extra-time. Virgil van Djik and Steven Bergwijn both missed from the spot to put Argentina in the driving seat, and although Enzo Fernandez squandered a chance to win the game with his side's fourth penalty, Lautaro Martinez sealed the victory with a confident spot-kick. It was a game filled with controversy and chaos.
Following the full-time whistle, FIFA confirmed that Argentina are now under investigation after the scenes during their game against the Netherlands. In total, 15 players on the field received a card - a World Cup record. Meanwhile, three members of coaching staff were also cautioned following a dramatic evening in Qatar.
"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened proceedings against the Argentinian Football Association due to potential breaches of articles 12 (Misconduct of players and officials) and 16 (Order and security at matches) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code during the Netherlands v. Argentina FIFA World Cup™ match that took place on 9 December," a statement read.
"Additionally, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened proceedings against the Dutch Football Association due to potential breaches of article 12 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code in relation to the same match."
But Tagliafico insists that their semi-final clash with Croatia may well follow in a similar pattern. He said in his pre-match press conference: "We're not machines, we're humans, and that means things happen in games... they'll probably keep happening. It's two teams going for a dream."
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni defended his team's behaviour during the fiery quarter-final victory.
"The previous game was played the way we had to play it from both teams, the Netherlands and Argentina, and that’s football," head coach Scaloni said. "In football, sometimes you have to defend, attack and some games, you know, things can happen like the previous game.
"There can be arguments, more challenging times but that’s all. That’s why there is a referee to make justice. And we need to just put an end to this idea of, you know, thinking Argentina is just that and we usually have that sort of behaviour.
"We lost to Saudi Arabia, we didn’t say anything. We won the Copa America in Brazil and we experienced the most sporting behaviour with Messi, (Leonardo) Paredes and Neymar. They were all sitting together in that tunnel at that Maracana stadium, so I’m really not convinced of this idea of unsporting behaviour.
"We need to show our pride and we just played the game the way we had to play it. And then there is a referee in charge of making decisions. Things end in the moment the referee blows the final whistle. So, we respect all the teams, the Netherlands, Croatia now and all the opponents we face. That’s one of our main characteristics and features of our personality since the first game.
"We need to put an end to this idea of us not being good winners or losers – that’s very far from who we actually are as a team, as a squad and as the way we represent this nation."
