A Copa Sudamericana playoff match, which took place on July 31, 2026, between O’Higgins and Boca Juniors, was the scene of an incident involving midfielder Leandro Paredes and referee Wilmar Roldán. During a heated dispute in the second half, the Colombian referee ended up pushing the Argentine player at the El Teniente Stadium, located in Chile.
The critical situation unfolded in the 22nd minute of the final stage. Jorge Figal, Boca Juniors defender, had made a strong tackle on Martín Sarrafiore, who was left on the ground. As Roldán headed towards Figal to warn him with a yellow card, Paredes intercepted his path and removed the referee’s arm.
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After showing the card to Figal, Roldán reacted with a strong push on the Boca Juniors captain. Information published in the Chilean press indicates that the referee also gave a verbal warning to the Argentine at that moment in the match, an unusual gesture for a judge on the field.
Paredes, in turn, returned to Roldán, continuing with his complaints and showing an ironic smile. Boca Juniors teammates intervened to remove the two. Although the referee gestured as if he was going to draw a red card, he chose not to send the player off.
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The midfielder ended up only receiving a yellow card and remained on the field throughout the match. Paredes also participated in the penalty shootout, converting Boca Juniors’ first penalty.
O’Higgins won the match 1-0, equaling the aggregate score after the defeat at Bombonera. The decision for the place in the round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana went to penalties, where Boca Juniors beat their opponents 4-3. Now, in the next phase, the Argentine team will face Deportivo Recoleta, from Paraguay, as their opponent.
