Outraged Mainz open to offers for Jara

Mainz are prepared to part company with Gonzalo Jara after the Chile international sparked outrage with his behaviour in a Copa America quarter-final.

Jara was at the centre of the controversy that saw Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani sent off on Wednesday in the second half of a match Chile went on to win 1-0.

Having already been booked, Cavani picked up a second yellow card for raising his hand to Jara’s face, with the latter falling to ground theatrically.

Replays then revealed the provocation Cavani had received, with Jara appearing to prod the Paris Saint-Germain forward in the backside with a finger.

Speaking to Bild on Friday, Mainz sports director Christian Heidel indicated the Bundesliga club were less than impressed with their player’s conduct.

“He knows that if an offer comes, he can go,” said Heidel.

“We do not tolerate that. More than the prod, however, it is what comes afterwards that makes me angry. I hate theatrics more than anything.”

It remains to be seen whether Jara – contracted to Mainz for another season – will receive a suspension, with Chile set to face Peru in the Copa semi-finals on Monday.