Mass Brawl Erupts After Minas Gerais Final as 23 Players Are Sent Off

A chaotic end to the Campeonato Mineiro Final between Brazilian rivals Cruzeiro Esporte Clube and Clube Atlético Mineiro saw an extraordinary 23 players sent off after the final whistle, following a violent brawl that erupted on the pitch.

The incident occurred immediately after the heated state championship decider, when tensions between the two Cruzeiro Esporte Clube and Clube Atlético Mineiro squads boiled over into a full-scale confrontation involving players from both sides.

According to the official match report, the referee described a series of violent incidents that unfolded rapidly after the final whistle. One player was dismissed after he allegedly “knocked down his opponent, charged at him, and brutally struck him in the face with his knee,” an action that the referee said sparked the wider melee.

The report added that once the altercation began, the situation quickly spiraled out of control.
“After this action, a general brawl broke out, making it impossible not to issue a red card,” the referee wrote.

Another dismissal was issued after a player reportedly struck an opponent “in the head with his shin, using excessive force and high intensity,” despite the ball already being in the goalkeeper’s possession.

Officials also cited multiple instances of players throwing punches and kicks during the chaos that followed the match.

“Sent off for punching and kicking his opponents during the brawl after the match ended,” the report stated, adding that the level of disorder made disciplinary action unavoidable.

The mass dismissals now place both clubs under scrutiny from the Federação Mineira de Futebol, which organizes the Campeonato Mineiro. Further disciplinary sanctions, including suspensions and possible fines, are expected as authorities review the referee’s report and video footage of the incident.

The derby between Cruzeiro Esporte Clube and Clube Atlético Mineiro is one of the fiercest rivalries in Brazilian football, but the scale of the post-match violence has shocked fans and officials alike.