Liverpool's Darwin Nunez banned for five international games after confronting Colombia fans

Fans caught the moment that Darwin Nunez clashed with Colombian fans

Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez has been handed a five-game international ban after he clashed with supporters following Uruguay's Copa America semi-final defeat.

Nunez appeared to confront supporters seated in the Colombia section following the final whistle after a brawl broke out near to where the Uruguay team’s families were seated.

Uruguay had just been beaten 1-0 by Colombia, who played the whole of the second half with 10 men, to miss out on a place in the final.

Nunez, who was captured in video footage throwing a chair towards where Colombia supporters were sitting in the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina, has also received a £15,000 fine.

Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur, who was involved in the fracas, has been given a four-game international ban and fined £12,000, whilst Mathias Olivera, Ronald Araujo and Josema Gimenez have each been suspended for three matches.

Uruguayan football officials defended their players in the aftermath of the incident, claiming they were simply trying to prevent their families from coming to harm.

Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa rejected any suggestion his players should be sanctioned, saying: “The only thing I can tell you is that the players reacted like any other human being would.

“If you see your woman, or your mother, or a baby, being attacked, what would you do? You’d ask whether they’re going to punish the people who defended themselves?”

The ban means Nunez will miss his country’s upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Paraguay, Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador.

A statement from the Copa America's official channels on Wednesday confirmed Nunez will now miss five matches for Uruguay with as many 12 people sanctioned by CONMEBOL, South American football's governing body.

The suspension does not apply to club football, however, meaning the Reds striker is free to continue being involved for Arne Slot's team.