Wednesday, July 21, 2021 at 09:56• Jeroen van Poppel • Last update: 09:58

Boca Juniors was eliminated from the Copa Libertadores on Tuesday by Atlético Mineiro. The topic of conversation in South America is the huge fight between players, technical staff and security staff that ensued afterwards. The Boca Juniors players were furious about an arbitration decision and stormed into the locker room where the referee staff had been holed up.

The match between Boca and Atlético Mineiro ended 0-0 on Tuesday after VAR disallowed an apparently valid goal from the Argentines for offside. In the penalty series, Atlético was then 3-1 too strong. Things went horribly wrong in the catacombs, when Boca players clashed with those of the Brazilian club. Images show how the fences in the catacombs were used as weapons by Boca players.

?? Emotions ran high among the Boca Juniors players after the elimination in the Copa Libertadores… Also watch Marcos Rojo in the tunnel ???? pic.twitter.com/QQRo66gk7B

— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) July 21, 2021

The Boca players wanted to go to the home club’s dressing room, where the arbitration had also fled. The police present knew the occurrence with the use of pepper spray. The furious players of the Argentine top club then destroyed their own dressing room. Other images show former Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo and Carlos Izquierdoz smashing into Atlético security staff. Other images show Rojo using a fire extinguisher as a weapon.

??Más images de una noche caliente en Brasil ???? ?? Carlos Izquierdoz y Marcos Rojo mano a mano con la seguridad de Atlético Mineiropic.twitter.com/dUor5STsrt

— El Grafico (@elgraficoweb) July 21, 2021

According to Argentine media, the police have made several arrests. Five Boca Juniors players, including Rojo, and three staff members were arrested and released a statement at the police station. The police stopped the players bus of the Argentine club for a long time, because they first wanted to investigate the matter further. Argentina’s ambassador in Mineirão tried to mediate and free the arrested players after paying a fine.