Colombia boss Nestor Lorenzo has called for more protection for Luis Diaz after the Liverpool winger was on the end of a horror tackle.
The Tricolour are one of the favourites heading into the Copa America, which starts on Friday. They have been drawn in Group D along with Brazil, Paraguay and Costa Rica.
Colombia’s final warm-up friendly ahead of the tournament kicking-off in the USA was a 3-0 victory over Bolivia. Diaz was at the fulcrum of his country’s performance and netted their third goal in the 41st minute. But on 68 minutes, he was hacked down by a late challenge from Bolivia’s Hector Cuellar. That sparked a mass brawl, with both teams having a man sent-off – yet Cuellar only received a yellow card.
Lorenzo, speaking after the victory, feels that supporters ‘come to see’ Diaz perform when he is in action. But the Colombia boss reckons that the 27-year-old is targeted too much and he had to be withdrawn because of the treatment he faces.
Via AS, Lorenzo said: “People come to see Luis Díaz, I have to play with Luis Díaz. If I have to take him out because the referee doesn’t know how to protect him… I’m not saying that they hit too much, but there were plays where they had to be called to their attention and they happened within half a centimeter of a strong hit.
“We told the lineman: ‘Let him get a yellow card to stop this’. Maybe I am responsible for risking it (Luis Díaz), he apologises, but I don’t feel that way. I would have liked him to play the whole game.”
