Friday 26 June 2015

Mainz vow to sell Gonzalo Jara after shameful Cavani finger incident



German club Mainz 05 are ready to offload Gonzalo Jara after the Chile international whipped up a storm at the Copa America by sticking his finger up the backside of an opponent before falling to the floor theatrically when the player retaliated.

Television images showed the 29-year-old defender, who has a contract until 2016, prodding Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani during Chile's 1-0 victory in Santiago on Wednesday.

Cavani reacted by pushing Jara away with the back of his hand but the Chilean fell to the ground as if he had been punched.

The Brazilian referee showed Cavani his second yellow card of the game and sent him off.

He knows that if an offer comes he can go," Mainz sports director Christian Heidel told Germany's Bild newspaper on Friday. "We do not tolerate that. More than the prod, however, it is what comes afterwards that makes me angry. I hate theatrics more than anything.

Images of the incident were all over social media and it was the main talking point from the match, which sent Chile into the last four of the competition for the first time in 16 years.

Eurosport view:

Mainz are quite right to take the moral high ground on this business. It is embarrassing for the club to be blighted by such conduct during the close season. Jara could have started a riot with such gruesome behaviour - and almost did with Cavani rightly furious - and the pantomime act seconds later was equally disgusting. You could hardly blame Cavani for his reaction to what is being described as the old 'Santiago Stinkfinger'. Or trying to gain an illegal advantage at all costs. 

The Paris Saint-Germain forward should have his red card rescinded even if it is too late to save Uruguay's Copa America defence. Mainz are looking for money for Jara, but they may have to lower their price for a figure who will be tailed by this shameful conduct for some time to come. If Luis Suarez's biting was bad representing Uruguay last summer, this is as every bit as unacceptable.

- Source: Eurosport 

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