23 players sent off after mass brawl in Brazil

"It's regrettable. We cannot set that example because it ends up having repercussions all around the world. We have a responsibility to safeguard our image and the image of the institution."

"The mass confrontation began when Atletico goalkeeper Everson pushed Christian to the ground and planted his knee on the chest of the Cruzeiro midfielder, who had collided with him while chasing a loose ball. Christian's team-mates immediately confronted Everson, shoving the keeper onto the goalpost, triggering wider issues as more players joined in."

Cruzeiro defeated Atletico Mineiro 1-0 in the Campeonato Mineiro final, with Kaio Jorge scoring the winning goal in Belo Horizonte. The match was overshadowed by a violent confrontation in the dying seconds when Atletico goalkeeper Everson pushed Christian to the ground and placed his knee on the Cruzeiro midfielder's chest. This triggered a widespread melee involving numerous players from both teams. Although referee Matheus Delgado Candancan did not issue red cards during the match, 23 players were subsequently sent off retrospectively, including Cruzeiro's goalscorer Jorge and Atletico's Hulk. The incident required intervention from security staff and military police to separate the teams.

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