Wilmar Barrios’ moment of madness will have Tottenham fans pleased about £20m rumour debunking

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Last night saw River Plate pick up a win in perhaps one of football’s most controversial finals. Playing fierce rivals Boca Juniors in Madrid after repeated crown trouble in Buenos Aires, the second leg of the Copa Libertadores was moved to the Bernabeu where River were triumphant.

Two goals in extra-time saw them win the tie 5-3 on aggregate and end a difficult chapter in Argentinian football.

The two teams could not be separated in 90 minutes. However, two minutes into extra-time came the vital moment. Colombia international Wilmar Barrios was shown a red card. It was the seventh of his relatively short career and despite receiving two yellows, could have been shown a straight red. His double footed challenge was poor and he deserved to be sent packing.

It was a massive error of judgement for the player, who Tottenham Hotspur fans will know very well.

During the summer, Tottenham were heavily linked with a move for the player. Reports suggested Spurs had scouts watching him in action at the World Cup and that Mauricio Pochettino viewed him as a replacement for Mousa Dembele. In October, Crack Deportivo suggested Tottenham had everything put together for a £20 million January deal.

Then, ESPN made it clear that was not the case. They suggested no bid was or ever would be made for the Colombian who was not a Tottenham target.

Yesterday, on the biggest stage, he left his team out to dry with rumours of a potential January move elsewhere now bound to circle.

After this moment of madness, Tottenham fans will be pleased he is not heading to North London after all.