Cruzeiro’s 1-0 victory over Atlético-MG in the Mineiro Championship final on Sunday was marred by a chaotic brawl that broke out just seconds before the final whistle, leading to an astonishing 23 red cards being issued.
The incident began with just 30 seconds remaining in stoppage time when Atlético-MG’s goalkeeper Éverson made a save from a shot by Matheus Pereira. Following the rebound, he was tackled by Cruzeiro midfielder Christian.
After getting up, Éverson confronted Christian, forcefully bringing him down with his knee.
Players from both teams rushed in to break up the fight while security personnel attempted to intervene.
A video has emerged showing former Brazilian international Hulk, 39, currently with Atlético-MG since 2021, trying to punch an opposing player.
The match at the Mineirão was suspended for eight minutes as referee Matheus Delgado waited for the situation to de-escalate before ultimately signaling the end of the match, declaring Cruzeiro the champions.
“We definitely didn’t want the match to end like this, especially considering the spectacle, but I couldn’t just stand by and let my teammates be in trouble,” said Cruzeiro striker Kaio Jorge, whose goal in the second half secured the team’s first state title since 2019. “I needed to defend my teammates.”
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Jorge was one of 12 players from Cruzeiro who received a retroactive red card, while Éverson was among the 11 players dismissed from Atlético-MG.
Currently, both Cruzeiro, managed by former Brazil coach Tite, and Atlético-MG are winless in their first four games of the Serie A season.