A mass brawl during the Campeonato Mineiro final in Belo Horizonte on Sunday resulted in 23 red cards for players from Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro. The violence erupted deep in stoppage time after Cruzeiro's 1-0 win, sparked by an incident involving Atlético goalkeeper Everson.
Everson rugby-tackled Cruzeiro's Christian to the ground after the midfielder collided with him while contesting a spilled ball. The goalkeeper then kneeled on Christian, catching his face, and shouted at the prone opponent while applying pressure to his back. This provoked an angry reaction from Cruzeiro players, who confronted Everson, pushing him into the net and triggering a melee.
The brawl spread from the goal area well into the other half, with players kicking, punching, and pushing while security staff and others attempted to separate them. Substitutes and coaching staff also became involved. According to O Globo, although the game was completed without any sendings-off, the referee retrospectively issued 23 red cards: 12 to Cruzeiro players and 11 to Atlético players.
Atletico's former Brazil forward Hulk condemned the violence, saying: "It's regrettable, I have never seen violence like that in any football game. We cannot set that example because it ends up having repercussions all around the world. We have a responsibility to safeguard our image and the image of the institution." Cruzeiro's coach Tite, a former Brazil manager, thanked fans for their support after the win.
