Laporte Slams Argentina’s Brutal Style: Referee Must Step In

Spain defensive stalwart Aymeric Laporte has publicly said Argentina’s style of play is full of “provocation” ahead of the World Cup final.

In an interview with the media, Laporte was asked whether he was concerned about Argentina’s “aggressive style.” He replied: “I have no fear of physical duels on the football pitch, as long as the referee officiates fairly and controls the threshold properly, I have no problem. But in recent matches, we have indeed seen some surprising scenes, with certain actions that should have been punished escaping sanction.”

“Argentina are a particularly typical example. They often use ‘rough tactics’ against opponents. That kind of play should not be tolerated in football, especially in such a crucial contest, because it can disrupt your rhythm and even make you angry,” he added. “It is the referee’s responsibility to control these situations and prevent any team from gaining an advantage through them. If one or two players act recklessly, the whole match can get out of control.”

Laporte also said: “Since the start of this tournament, we, the Spain team, have maintained a fair-play approach. We never deliberately strike opponents or commit reckless fouls. I believe that is what we must stick to in the final. But to be honest, it depends to a large extent on the referee’s decisions.”

Asked whether Spain’s dressing room had discussed Argentina’s “aggressive” tactics, Laporte said: “Yes, we have talked about it. But the key point is that this is not really something we can control. Someone has to stop these actions and make sure we are playing a football match, not something else. One or two players cannot be allowed to do whatever they want.”

Argentina have previously faced repeated outside questions over perceived favorable treatment from referees. Captain Lionel Messi recently hit back at those criticisms. “Whether you like it or not, and no matter what people say, we have been the strongest team over the past four years,” Messi said after the semifinal win over England. “We have once again proved that we are among the top two teams in the world. That is enough to show that none of this is down to luck, and nothing has been handed to us.”

Spain will face defending champions Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey at 8 p.m. local time on Sunday evening, British Summer Time.