Mass brawl involving all twenty-two players on the pitch and substitutes from both benches marred the conclusion of the Campeonato Mineiro final between Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro on Sunday. The confrontation occurred with just thirty seconds remaining in stoppage time and required military police intervention to restore order.
Goalkeeper Clash Sparks Chaos
Atlético Mineiro goalkeeper Éverson initiated the violence after colliding with Cruzeiro winger Christian. Éverson tackled Christian to the ground, placed both knees on his chest and moved over his face before standing and leaning aggressively over the fallen player. Cruzeiro players immediately rushed to defend their teammate, which prompted Atlético players to join the fray.
Both teams’ benches emptied within seconds as coaches, substitutes and staff entered the field. The brawl lasted approximately ten minutes and featured punches, flying kicks and wrestling holds. Military police officers entered the pitch to separate the combatants and eventually escorted referee Matheus Candançan from the stadium.
Record Disciplinary Action Follows
Referee Matheus Candançan issued twenty-three red cards retrospectively through his match report. Twelve Cruzeiro players received dismissals, including former Juventus striker Kaio Jorge. Eleven Atlético Mineiro players were sent off, including club captain and former Porto forward Hulk.
Hulk Attributes Violence to Officiating
Hulk, the 39-year-old Atlético striker, apologized for his involvement while criticizing the referee’s performance. “I told the referee from the beginning of the game that things were going to go wrong,” Hulk stated. “He lacked character. If he has to send off one, two, three players, he should send them off! He was afraid to referee the final.”
Hulk added, “I don’t recall participating in any act of violence during a football match. I will never tire of apologizing. We try to calm things down, but when your blood is hot, you see a teammate being attacked, you automatically react. But it could have been avoided.”
Cruzeiro Claims Title Amid Disorder
Cruzeiro secured the championship with a 1-0 victory. Kaio Jorge scored the decisive goal midway through the second half. The club lifted the trophy despite finishing the match with only substitute players eligible, as all on-field personnel had been dismissed.
The Campeonato Mineiro governs football in the state of Minas Gerais. Both clubs are based in Belo Horizonte, the state capital. The Brazilian Football Confederation has not announced additional sanctions at this time.
