Brazilian football witnessed one of its most extraordinary and chaotic scenes as Cruzeiro defeated rivals Atlético Mineiro 1–0 in the final of the Campeonato Mineiro, a match that ended in unprecedented drama with a staggering 23 players sent off.
The tense derby clash, already heated due to the fierce rivalry between the two Belo Horizonte giants, spiralled completely out of control towards the end of the contest.
While Cruzeiro managed to secure a narrow 1–0 victory on the pitch, the final whistle was overshadowed by widespread confrontations involving players and officials from both sides.
Following multiple altercations and mass brawls, the referee issued red cards to almost the entire squads of both teams.
For Cruzeiro, the players dismissed were goalkeeper Cássio, Fagner, Fabrício Bruno, João Marcelo, Villalba, Kauã Prates, Christian, Lucas Romero, Matheus Henrique, Walace, Gerson and Kaio Jorge.
Atlético Mineiro also suffered heavy sanctions with Everson, Gabriel Delfim, Preciado, Lyanco, Ruan Tressoldi, Junior Alonso, Renan Lodi, Alan Franco, Alan Minda, Cassierra and club captain Hulk all shown red cards.
The mass dismissals created an unbelievable spectacle rarely seen in professional football, leaving both benches nearly empty and prompting widespread reactions across Brazilian football.
Officials of the competition are expected to review the incident, with disciplinary sanctions and possible suspensions likely to follow after the shocking scenes that marred the state championship final.
