Battle on the Pitch: Xenophobic Remark Sparks Controversy

Tensions rose during a Copa Libertadores match as Talleres' Miguel Navarro accused Sao Paulo's Damian Bobadilla of making a xenophobic comment. The incident, following a critical goal, led to a social media outpour from Navarro and a subsequent apology from Bobadilla, highlighting ongoing issues of discrimination in sports.

Tensions flared in Tuesday's Copa Libertadores match when Talleres' midfielder Miguel Navarro accused Sao Paulo's Damian Bobadilla of making a xenophobic remark. The clash occurred after Luciano da Rocha Neves scored the decisive goal, aggravating emotions on the field.

Navarro, voicing his grievances on social media, quoted Bobadilla saying: 'You starving Venezuelan'. Expressing a desire to address his country's hunger issues, Navarro lamented the 'mental poverty' behind such statements and vowed to fight against xenophobia in football.

Bobadilla responded with a public video apology, citing the heat of the moment for his remarks. Despite acknowledging an initial offense, he expressed a wish to personally apologize and emphasized that discrimination was not his intent.

(With inputs from agencies.)