The Newcastle icon was once caught up in a spat that almost turned deadly
Chris Burns Senior Sports Writer
12:00, 25 Dec 2025
Faustino Asprilla was involved in a spat with a rival that threatened to spiral out of control(Image: Offside Sports Photography)
Newcastle cult figure Faustino Asprilla was once embroiled in a bitter feud with Paraguayan legend Jose Luis Chilavert that threatened to turn deadly.
Asprilla, now 56, joined the Magpies in February 1996, quickly earning the affectionate moniker ‘Tino’ as he became a fan favourite. The Colombian was famously involved in a spat which truly ignited on April 2, 1997, at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asuncion, Paraguay.
Their coming together was such that it later involved the former Magpies forward attempting to persuade a hitman not to kill Chilavert after their bust-up.
Asprilla had a reputation to say the least. The forward had missed Parma’s 1993 Cup Winners’ Cup final victory over Royal Antwerp after injuring himself by kicking through the glass door of a bus that had hit his car.
Meanwhile, Chilavert is one of football’s most iconic figures. The now 60-year-old scored an impressive 59 goals throughout his career, a curious stat considering he was a goalkeeper.
Something of a maverick himself, Chilavert would seem more philosopher than footballer in his post match interviews. The Paraguayan captain was also nicknamed ‘The Bulldog’ for his confrontational style.
In a qualifying encounter with Colombia ahead of World Cup ’98, at the El Metro in Barranquilla, Chilavert had lived up to his reputation by reserving Colombian striker Ivan Valenciano for abuse, claiming the Atletico Junior forward to “eat fewer desserts”.
Chilavert could maybe have been accused of throwing stones in glass houses. After all, his own fans even branded him ‘El Gordito de Oro’ which translated to ‘The Golden Fat Man’.
Nevertheless, Chilavert began the tie in a fiery fashion, making several saves, fist-bumping and screaming afterwards. The game was simmering until eight minutes into the second half.
Asprilla combined with Carlos Valderrama on the edge of the box before unfurling a clean strike past Chilavert. Asprilla celebrated wildly, mocking the Paraguayan fans with fake crying. Tino’s antics were not forgotten in a hurry.
The two sides met again in Paraguay in April 1997 where the clash to end all clashes took place. Paraguay took the lead through an own-goal scored by Hugo Galeano.
Jose Luis Chilavert had a fiery reputation
Then in the 80th minute mark, all hell broke loose. Asprilla attempted to meet a Leonel Alvarez cross but rather than connect with the ball, he came down on Celso Ayala’s knee, flooring the defender.
Chilavert reacted angrily. Asprilla then struck his Paraguayan rival across the face as Chilavert allegedly spat at Tino in retaliation.
Both players were sent off while Colombia were awarded a spot kick, with Paraguay going on to win the tie late on. Speaking about the event, Chilavert told Blu Radio: “Tino had stepped on Celso Ayala’s knee. And I tell him, ‘Why are you stepping on his knee?’ And Tino slaps me and the referee saw it. They expelled us both and charged a penalty against Paraguay. I mean, it’s ridiculous.”
Asprilla said: “On the play, Chilavert spat in my face. I cleaned myself up, got up and slapped him. It was there when the referee whistled a penalty for Colombia and sent us both off.”
Asprilla decided to watch the penalty from the bench, to Chilavert’s chagrin. The keeper then struck Asprilla across the face as he walked off the pitch, sparking a huge brawl.
The Colombian bench surrounded Chilavert as the authorities attempted to ease the situation by deploying riot police.
Faustino Asprilla strikes Paraguayan goalie Jose Luis Chilavert(Image: DANNY GOMEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Recalling the event, Chilavert said: “I remember that the 40,000 people in the stadium began to insult Asprilla. When we were leaving the field I hit him and said clearly, ‘If I catch you outside, I’ll kill you.’ It was a scandal motivated by Asprilla alone.”
Years later Asprilla revealed in a documentary broadcast on Colombian television that a hitman shockingly made contact with him after the Chilavert incident offering to kill the goalkeeper.
The would-be gunman even visited Tino in his hotel room after the game, asking the ex-Newcastle star if he wanted Chilavert dead to which Asprilla firmly refused.
“What? Are you crazy?” Asprilla said about his confrontation with the hitman. “You’ll destroy Colombian football, you can’t do that. No, no, no, no. What happens on the pitch stays on the pitch.”