Mass brawl in the final of the state championship in Belo Horizonte

A mass brawl among players has resulted in a flood of red cards at the final of the Minas Gerais state championship in Brazil. A total of 23 players from finalists Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro were listed as red card offenders in the referee’s report – according to the media, a unique record in the country of the five-time world champion.

According to a report by the referee, ex-national player and Atlético captain Hulk was among those punished for “hitting and kicking his opponents during the mass brawl after the end of the game”. Referee Matheus Delgado Candançan had not yet been able to show red cards on the pitch in Belo Horizonte because of the violent commotion. Atlético subsequently received eleven dismissals, Cruzeiro twelve – including goalscorer Kaio Jorge.

In Cruzeiro’s eventual 1-0 win, a scene shortly before the end of the game initiated the mass brawl. Atlético’s goalkeeper Everson retaliated for what he considered to be too hard a challenge from Cruzeiro’s Christian with a push. He then kneeled on the opponent. Field and substitute players from both teams then got involved with kung fu kicks and boxing punches. “When you’re hot-blooded and you see a teammate being attacked, you react automatically,” Hulk tried to make a half-hearted apology afterwards.

Atlético’s number seven, who was on the pitch in the 7-1 defeat against the DFB team at the 2014 World Cup in Belo Horizonte, preferred to blame the referee. “I told the referee early in the game that there was going to be trouble. He had no personality,” Hulk said.

The military police had to be called in while they were still on the square. The referee Candançan also ordered police protection.