Peru striker Paolo Guerrero has criticized the match officials following his country’s 1-0 loss to Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Guerrero expressed frustration that the referees wouldn’t even allow a light touch on Lionel Messi without immediately awarding a free-kick. He claimed the referee made it difficult for Peru’s defenders marking Messi, calling fouls on any contact, even the slightest.
Lautaro Martínez scored the only goal of the match in the 55th minute at La Bombonera on Tuesday. Argentina now leads the CONMEBOL standings with 25 points from 12 games.
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In a post-match interview, Guerrero suggested that the refereeing was biased in favor of the 2022 World Cup champions, stating, “The refereeing was one-sided. Messi cannot be touched because they blow a foul for just touching him, and yet the press doesn’t say anything, even though you all know it’s true.”
Messi played a key role in Martínez’s goal and also registered one shot on target during the match.