A mass brawl during the Campeonato Mineiro final in Brazil has resulted in 23 red cards being issued to players from Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro. The violent confrontation occurred deep in stoppage time of Cruzeiro's 1-0 victory on Sunday in Belo Horizonte.
The incident began when Atlético goalkeeper Everson rugby-tackled Cruzeiro's Christian to the ground after the midfielder collided with him while contesting a ball the keeper had spilled. Everson then kneeled on Christian, caught his face, and shouted at him while applying pressure to his back, sparking an angry reaction from Cruzeiro players who confronted Everson and pushed him into the net.
The brawl quickly escalated, spreading from near the goal into the other half of the pitch, with players kicking, punching, and pushing. Substitutes and coaching staff also became involved, and security personnel struggled to separate the groups for over a minute. Although the match was completed without any on-field 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, stating, '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.' Cruzeiro coach Tite, a former Brazil manager, thanked fans for their support, saying, 'I want to convey to the Cruzeiro fans the affection and respect I have for them.'
