Lionel Messi is facing a potential two-year ban from international football following his comments made after Argentina’s victory over Chile in the third-place playoff at Copa America.
Argentina were beaten in the semi-final by fierce rivals Brazil who went on to go and beat Peru in Sunday’s final.
Messi was sent off in the third-place playoff for a clash with Chile’s Gary Medel, in which the former Cardiff midfielder appeared to be the aggressor.
But the referee gave both players their marching orders and Messi spoke of his disgust after the match – suggesting the competition was set up for Brazil to win.
Messi said: “There is no doubt, the whole thing is set up for Brazil. I hope the VAR and referees don’t play any part in the final and that Peru can compete but it looks tough to me.
“I did not want to be part of this corruption, we shouldn’t have to be part of this disrepect we suffered during the Copa America.
“We could have gone further but we weren’t allowed into the final. Corruption, referees and all the rest stopped people from enjoying the football.
“I always tell the truth and I’m honest, that is what keeps me calm, if what I say has repercussions that is not my business.
“I think that what happened is because of what I said [against Brazil].
“What I said last time perhaps came back to haunt me. With a yellow card that was the end of it.”
CONMEBOL regulations prohibit ‘insulting in any means or manner CONMEBOL, its institutions or personnel’ – carrying a ban of up to two years.
A two-year suspension would see Messi miss qualification for the 2022 World Cup as well as the Copa America next year in Argentina and Colombia.
CONMEBOL released a statement of their own following Messi’s comments, branding them ‘unacceptable’.
The statement continued: “Said accusations represent a lack of respect for the competition, all the football players involved and the hundreds of professionals of CONMEBOL, institution that since 2016 has been tirelessly working to transparent, professionalize and develop South American football.”