In the aftermath of the Copa America semifinal match between Uruguay and Colombia, tensions outside the stadium escalated further due to the irrational behavior of fans. An attack by Colombian fans on a Uruguayan player's family not only violated the boundaries of sportsmanship, but also triggered a melee between players and fans, an incident that quickly became the center of attention after the match.
Uruguayan goalkeeper Rochette, who was one of those who witnessed the incident, expressed his strong regret and dissatisfaction with the incident. He pointed out that it was the Colombian fans who were creating the problem, when the Colombian players could have stepped up to calm things down and protect the safety of all involved. "They (Colombian players) should have come over and calmed things down."
Rochette further said that the Uruguayan team has always respected their opponents and expects sympathy and understanding from the Colombian players, but it is entirely up to them. "We respect them and it would have been nice to have the sympathy of the Colombian players, but it's up to them."
Talking about his family, Rochette was even more worried. "Fortunately, the family has returned to the hotel." He said thankfully, but then expressed deep reflection on the incident. "We've been through a worrying time and we obviously regret that. It's really not nice to see these issues and to see something like this happen to your family just two meters away."
