FORMER referee Carlos Chandia has admitted to purposefully avoiding booking Lionel Messi in return for the superstar’s match-worn shirt.
Chilean referee Chandia was in charge of the 2007 Copa America semi-final between Argentina and Mexico when he took his opportunity to get a piece of history.
Argentina led their semi-final 3-0 with just a few minutes to play thanks to goals from Gabriel Heinze, Juan Roman Riquelme and Messi himself.
But despite being moments away from booking their spot in the final, they were close to being handed a huge disadvantage by losing Messi for the final.
The Barcelona legend was one booking away from suspension and handled the ball in the middle of the park, giving Chandia no choice but to dish out a yellow and subsequently suspend him for the final – at least that’s what you would assume.
Instead Chandia decided to bargain with Messi and offered him a spot in the final in return for his match-worn shirt.
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Speaking to ESPN on the FShow, Chandia explained: “Out of nowhere, Messi lifts a ball and touches it with his hand, but in the middle of the pitch.
“There was no goal-scoring chance for the Mexican team or anything like that. So, I told him: ‘This is a yellow card, but it will cost you your jersey,’ and I didn’t show him the yellow card.
“There were two-and-a-half minutes left, and the score was 3-0. Showing him a yellow card would have taken away his chance of playing in the Copa America final.”
The incredible offer was accepted too, according to Chandia, who explained that Messi offered up his shirt at the end of the game.
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He said: “He gave me the shirt in the dressing room afterwards. In fact, he wanted to take it off on the pitch and I told him: ‘No, no, no, no; take it to the dressing room’.
“And he came to the dressing room with the jersey and left it there for me.”
Chandia has since admitted in a separate interview that he has now given the shirt to his son.
While also suggesting that he wasn’t chosen as the referee for the final as a result of his sneaky on-field offer.
Speaking to TNT Chile, he explained: “My son has it now, he keeps it.
“The truth is that I think that because I didn’t give him the yellow card, Brazilians ended up saying something and that’s why I wasn’t the main referee of the Copa America final.”
Fortunately for Chandia, his decision didn’t directly impact the outcome of the Copa America final with Messi and Argentina unable to life the trophy in Venezuela.
Brazil ended up battering their South American opponents 3-0 thanks to goals from Julio Baptista, Roberto Ayala and Dani Alves.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
