'Excessive!' - Paredes slams 10-match FIFA ban after Spain World Cup final brawl

Argentina international Paredes has hit out at the FIFA Disciplinary Committee after receiving a staggering 10-match ban for his conduct during the World Cup final against Spain. The veteran midfielder was at the heart of a series of ugly scenes that marred the tournament's showpiece event, specifically involving several Spanish players.

Speaking after a domestic match with Boca Juniors this weekend, Paredes expressed his disbelief at the severity of the punishment. 'It seems exaggerated. The strange thing is also that Gavi was given one, who is the one who gives me the punch in the chest... but hey, that's it. Now we have to appeal the sanction, the people who know about these things will see if they can overturn it. For me, it's excessive, and I think it can be reduced,' Paredes said.

Paredes was not the only Argentine player to feel the wrath of the disciplinary panel, though his 10-game ban was the most severe of the lot. FIFA handed a seven-match suspension to Nahuel Molina for an unprovoked attack on Rodri during the final stages of the match.

On the Spanish side, Barcelona midfielder Gavi was the only player to receive a ban, being ruled out for one match. This came after he intervened to defend teammate Eric Garcia, who had also been shoved by Paredes. The discrepancy in the lengths of these suspensions has clearly touched a nerve within the Argentine camp, leading to accusations of bias.

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has already signaled its intent to fight these rulings on behalf of its players and the organization itself. In addition to the player bans, the AFA has been slapped with a fine of €275,000 ($321,000) for various breaches of the FIFA Disciplinary Code throughout the tournament.

The most prominent of these breaches occurred following Argentina's semi-final victory over England, when key players - including Lionel Messi, Cristian Romero, Giovani Lo Celso, and Lisandro Martinez - sparked widespread controversy by displaying a banner asserting Argentina's sovereignty over the Falkland Islands during their post-match celebrations.

The AFA has successfully secured a strategic loophole from FIFA to minimize the impact of the heavy suspensions handed to Paredes and Molina. Following a formal request, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee approved the AFA's proposal allowing the players to serve their match bans during upcoming Class A friendlies, rather than relying solely on official competitive fixtures.

Despite gaining this tactical advantage, the AFA announced it is still preparing to fight the penalties further. The association is currently awaiting FIFA's full written justification to lodge formal appeals with both the FIFA Appeals Committee and, if necessary, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).