"In my opinion it was a cowardly tackle," the Paris Saint-Germain defender said on the eve of his side's World Cup semi-final against Germany today.
"I am a defender, I know how to mark a player and there is no way you can get the ball by putting a knee in the back.
"It is not something that comes about in a normal match situation."
FIFA turned down a request from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) to ban Zuniga on Monday because the incident had been seen by the match officials at the time and no action was taken.
The 29-year-old was booked 25 minutes from time with Brazil leading 1-0 through his early strike for impeding Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina.
"In no moment did I intend to take the ball from the goalkeeper. I was trying so hard not to commit any fouls, the only foul I remember was the yellow card and it is very difficult to miss the game," he added.
"But I really trust the players on the pitch. No matter the 11 players we will be well represented.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
