Alberto Suárez breaks silence on Durán-Lorenzo locker room incident with Colombia
Former Envigado coach Alberto Suárez has revealed new details about the altercation between Jhon Durán and Néstor Lorenzo in Colombia's locker room during the match against Peru in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Durán, now a Benfica player, was removed from the squad after the incident, though both he and the coach initially denied it happened.
What really happened in the locker room?
According to Suárez, Durán was accused of an incident in the locker room. "I asked him if it was true and he said no," the coach said on the podcast Un break. Durán explained that Lorenzo grabbed him from behind without him knowing it was the manager: "I moved my arms to push him off and the coach fell."
Suárez's defense and criticism of Asprilla
Suárez defended Durán and took a veiled swipe at Faustino Asprilla, a historic Colombia idol: "He hasn't pulled a gun on anyone, he hasn't been caught shooting, he hasn't killed anyone, unlike others." The coach also mentioned that Durán attended the BetPlay Tournament final with Envigado and trained with the team to stay in shape.
Colombia's current context
Colombia heads into this moment with good momentum, following a 0-0 draw against Switzerland on July 7, 2026, and a five-match unbeaten run (3 wins, 2 draws). The team continues to solidify its position in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
