Argentina like to leave mark on opponents – LaporteFigure caption, All of Argentina’s goals from the World Cup so farByNeil JohnstonBBC Sport journalist in New YorkPublished10 minutes agoSpain defender Aymeric Laporte claims Argentina are a team that “likes to leave a mark on their opponents” and “that sort of thing shouldn’t be allowed in football”.European champions Spain face reigning world champions Argentina in the World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday (20:00 BST).Argentina adopted a physical approach for their semi-final against England, when they scored two late goals to win 2-1 – having committed 15 fouls.
Just three minutes into the game, Enzo Fernandez set the tone with a forceful challenge on Elliot Anderson from behind – appearing to strike the back of the England player’s neck – but he was not even cautioned.
England fans were also convinced that Argentina’s winning goal should have been ruled out for a foul by Lionel Messi on Djed Spence.
“It’s the referee’s job to keep a handle on these things so the situation doesn’t get out of hand,” former Manchester City player Laporte told Spanish sports newspaper Marca., external
“If one or two players are allowed to act that way, the match descends into chaos.”
Laporte, 32, added: “I’m not at all worried about aggression within the context of football. If it’s within the rules and the referee does their job, I have no problem with it.
“It is true, however, that in recent matches we’ve seen things that really surprised us – actions that were allowed to slide.
“Especially with Argentina. They’re a team that likes to leave a mark on their opponents. That sort of thing shouldn’t be allowed in football – particularly in major competitions – because it can unsettle you and make you angry.”
