Rubens Sambueza recalls América's 2016 Apertura disappointment | OneFootball

Rubens Sambueza feels he was harshly sent off in his last game for América in the 2016 Apertura final against Tigres.

After the sides had finished 2-2 on aggregate, the decider went into extra time at the Estadio Universitario.

Sambueza, who was captain of Las Águilas at the time, was sent off during the first half of extra-time, as the Azulcrema went to lose on penalties.

Looking back on the experience, Sambueza believes he was unfortunate to be dismissed.

“I don’t regret anything. If you tell me I went and kicked or it was a very serious foul for the referee to take me yellow, I would tell you: ‘the truth is, I screwed up’, but it was a normal foul,” the former Argentina U-20 international told Diario Récord.

“I think the referee was carried away by all the pressure from the people and from the Tigres players themselves,” he added.

Sambueza left for Toluca before the 2017 Clausura, with the midfielder feeling that it was the right time to move on.

“I simply wanted to go, because I felt like I had failed the group. I preferred, as captain, to step aside, for the team to renew itself,” he said.

The veteran 34-year-old insists he is not thinking of retirement yet.

He also said that he still harbours ambitions of playing alongside younger brother Fabián, who is currently with Colombian side Santa Fe.