Argentina player seriously injured after brutal foul: was it revenge?

Argentina international Exequiel Palacios suffered a serious injury in World Cup qualification against Paraguay (1: 1).

In the 29th minute an epochal duel is underway on the center line: Angel Romero of Paraguay enters the aerial duel with Exequiel Palacios and knocks out his opponent with a brutal kick in the back.

Romero, who had put his team ahead just minutes earlier with a penalty, was getting away with his hair-raising action despite a black-eyed VAR check – meaning a yellow card.

Palacios is less fortunate. The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder cannot continue playing and must be replaced. Worse still: the 22-year-old is taken directly to the hospital, where, according to the association, a fracture of the transverse process of the lumbar vertebra is diagnosed. He must remain in the hospital for examination until further notice.

Was it a revenge foul?

An official prediction of how long Palacios will remain outside is still pending. In Argentina, however, it is already assumed that he will be absent for about ten months. Which would mean the season is over for Palacios.

Additionally, many South Americans believe Angel Romero’s brutal phallus was an act of revenge. Because everything has a story: in his last match with River Plate, Palacios flew in December 2019 after a too hard foul in the match against San Lorenzo. The “victim” of that time: Oscar Romero, Angel’s twin brother.

Either way, it’s a particularly bitter pill for Bayer Leverkusen. Because Palacios is already the third South American to be seriously injured during an international break this season. Captain Charles Aránguiz (Chile) was sidelined for weeks due to a muscle injury. Newcomer Santiago Arias from Colombia broke his fibula in October and will likely be missing for the Bundesliga club until the end of the season.