Marcelo Bielsa vehemently defended Uruguay's players after they clashed with Colombia fans following their Copa America semi-final defeat.
La Celeste's hopes of landing a record-breaking 16th title were ended by a 1-0 loss in Charlotte on Wednesday, and they will subsequently face Canada in Saturday's third-place playoff.
After the match, footage shared on social media showed La Celeste players climbing into the stands at the Bank of America Stadium when family members were caught up in violence involving Colombia supporters.
CONMEBOL has opened an investigation into the incident but, when asked whether he feared facing sanctions, Bielsa insisted his players should receive an apology rather than punishment.
"How can you not defend your mother, your sister, a baby?!" he angrily told reporters at his pre-match press conference. "If they did not do it, they would have been condemned by all of us.
"The sanction does not have to be for the footballers, but for those who forced them to act like that. This is a witch hunt. It is a shame.
"You should have asked me if we have received an apology, not if I fear sanctions. Here, the message was we cannot defend your family, and we cannot allow them to flee. What sanction are they talking to me about?!"
Defender Sebastian Caceres concurred with Bielsa that he and his team-mates responded in an instinctive manner.
"What happened after the game is something that anyone would have done," he said. "I went up to check that my family was OK, and I tried to take a team-mate with me so that it wouldn't continue."
Atletico shift Saul out on loan to LaLiga rivals Sevilla
Saul Niguez has moved from Atletico Madrid on loan to Sevilla with the option of an extension after the 2024-25 campaign.
Both LaLiga clubs confirmed the transfer agreement on Monday, with each side referencing the "possibility of an extension" past the upcoming season.
The 29-year-old has started just 25 La Liga games across the last two seasons for Atletico, who are reportedly keen to reduce their expenditure on their first-team squad salary.
Reports in Spain suggest the midfielder has a three-year offer from league rivals Sevilla, though a complex transfer means the deal cannot be described as a purchase option with the possibility of a return to Atletico.
Saul made 49 appearances for Diego Simeone's men last season, though starts were limited as Atletico finished fourth in the Spanish top flight.
He has been capped 19 times by Spain and made 23 appearances for Chelsea, his last loan spell in the 2022-23 season before returning to Simeone's team.
Saul's addition marks the fourth arrival in Andalusia, with Arsenal's Albert Sambi Lokonga also loaned, along with moves for Chidera Ejuke and Peque Fernandez.
Ten Hag slams 'not good enough' Man Utd after surprise friendly defeat to Rosenborg
Erik ten Hag slammed Manchester United as "by far not good enough" after their shock friendly defeat to Rosenborg on Monday.
The Red Devils suffered a late 1-0 loss at Lerkendal Stadion after Noah Holm's 93rd-minute winner.
An underwhelming performance in their first pre-season game was in stark contrast to their last outing before that, a 2-1 victory over rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Rosenborg were denied by the woodwork on four separate occasions while attempting 22 shots to United's meagre five.
Ten Hag started the likes of Casemiro, Jonny Evans, Marcus Rashford, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Mason Mount, leaving the United boss somewhat furious with their efforts in Trondheim.
"The result is not secondary. We play pre-season but at Manchester United, there's a standard," said Ten Hag to MUTV after the game.
"You win games. Definitely, you don't lose games. If you can't win, don't lose the game as we did at the end, the last second of the game.
"The performance is more important. The performance was below standard."
Radek Vitek, United's 20-year-old goalkeeper, was forced into seven saves in a one-sided pre-season meeting as the only Red Devils player to impress.
"Let's say he got the opportunity from the team to make some very good saves because our performance as a team is by far not good enough," Ten Hag responded when asked about Vitek's showing.
"I have seen this is not the standard for top football. Top football, you have to achieve much higher standards. It starts with any individual, make sure you are fit.
"I know we can't be match fit in this moment, therefore, you need these games. I know we are playing an opponent who are in their league, they have a much higher fitness level.
"But still we are Man Utd and players and teams from Man Utd must perform better."
Ten Hag's only credit from the game was placed on the youngsters who came on at half-time in wholesale changes.
"They always listen, they try to transfer. We didn't succeed today," the Dutchman said of his younger players.
"But the attitude, they want to transfer the coaching play model, they are always willing to do it. But it is clear today we didn't transfer it to the pitch."
Lionesses captain Williamson reminds Three Lions of successes despite Euro 2024 agony
England responding to their Euro 2024 heartbreak with success in the future will taste "even sweeter", according to Lionesses captain Leah Williamson.
The England Women's star launched a staunch defence of Gareth Southgate's men's side after their 2-1 defeat in the European Championship final to Spain.
Southgate's Three Lions are the first side in history to lose two consecutive Euros finals, while the England manager is the first to suffer defeat in two separate showpieces of the tournament.
Having lost the Women's World Cup final to Spain last year, Williamson can somewhat relate, but reminded England supporters of the good times under Southgate, whose future remains uncertain.
"Devastated, especially knowing some of them personally as well," Williamson told reporters ahead of Tuesday's clash with Sweden in qualifying for the Women's European Championship in 2025.
"What Gareth and his team have done over the last three, four years, reaching finals and bringing that dream closer to reality, we are very lucky as fans of England, men's and women's, to be in the position that we're in.
"They didn't quite get over the line to a fantastic Spanish team, I know they'll be devastated about it, it will take a while for them to get over it.
"But us as a country, we've been blessed with incredible tournaments. And when those wins come, which I do believe they will, then they'll be even sweeter."
England Women's boss Sarina Wiegman led her side to Euro 2022 glory against Germany before the agony against Spain the following year.
Therefore, Wiegman knows all too well about suffering from setbacks.
"Takes about three weeks, it took me three weeks to get over it," an honest Wiegman said on how Southgate and Co. will recover.
"It's very hard ... when you have given your everything, then you hope you win and when you don't, you are really disappointed.
"But then you start thinking: Okay, did we get everything out of ourselves? Did we do everything that we could that was in our control?
"And then you have to accept it. It's easier to accept a win than to accept a loss but yeah, for me that takes it took a while."
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