Luis Suarez escapes red card for horror tackle on Manchester City star Nicolas Otamendi after limping out of Uruguay vs Argentina clash with cramp
The Liverpool hero looked nailed on for an early bath after a late lunge on his World Cup rival but he limped off instead
LUIS SUAREZ got away with a horror lunge in Uruguay’s heated World Cup qualifier derby with Argentina by hobbling off with cramp.
The ex-Liverpool man helped put a dent in Lionel Messi & Co.’s qualification campaign with a hard-fought drawn.
But he almost put a hole in the leg of Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi before hobbling off and escaping punishment with a few minutes left.
The Etihad centre-back got to the ball first at the Estadio Centenario before the Barcelona star followed through and crunched his studs high above Otamendi’s left ankle.
Luckily for the ex-Anfield icon, Otamendi was not seriously injured and his trailing right leg seemed to clip Suarez so he was able to limp off with an air of sympathy.
But it was later revealed Suarez was not at all hurt in the ugly clash and ducked out of the incident with cramp.
Before the game Suarez was all sunshine and smiles as he starred for a cheesy publicity stunt with Barca team-mate Messi.
Argentina and Uruguay are bidding to host the 2030 World Cup together so the pair posed in shirts spelling out the year '2030'.
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At least Argentina would be guaranteed of playing at that tournament as they struggle to make it to Russia.
With Alexis Sanchez’s Chile losing at home to Paraguay, Argentina should have leapfrogged their rivals with a win in Montevideo.
But a bruising bore-draw leaves Argentina and Chile level on points but with the Chileans ahead on goal difference.
After the game, Suarez revealed he wasn’t even hurt in the challenge with Otamendi, he said: "An important point to continue to add and keep dreaming about the World Cup!!
"I'm fine, it was just cramp in my calf. Come on Uruguay."
