In Brazil’s World Cup qualifying match against Argentina, there was a bloody clash between police and Argentina fans!

Ugly footage coming out of South America. Police there have had a clash with Argentina fans and videos show police baton-charging a crowd that has no way to defend itself. Even goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez tried to help the fans.

The Brazil vs Argentina World Cup qualifier at the Maracana stadium on Tuesday night was delayed by nearly 30 minutes after clashes between police and fans in the stands in Rio de Janeiro.

Argentina won the match 1-0 thanks to Nicolás Otamendi’s second-half goal that sent Brazil to its first-ever home loss in World Cup qualifying.

Local and Argentine fans started fighting during the playing of the national anthems, prompting Brazilian police to use batons to subdue the visiting fans. Fans responded by tearing up and throwing seats at officers.

Some fans near the trouble panicked and stormed the field to escape the fight. At least one injured fan was carried out of the stadium on a stretcher. The Argentina players asked those in the stands to be quiet before Lionel Messi took them back to the dressing room.

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez tried to break in among his team’s fans rushing into the stands to ask police to stop the violence.

Messi’s statement

“We saw the police hitting people and many players had family members in the stands. We could not concentrate on playing the game,” Messi said after the match. “It has happened here in the past at the Copa Libertadores. The Brazilian police are again repressing people,” he said.

Argentina has told its Brazilian rivals that it will return to the pitch after the situation calms down. They returned after 22 minutes and warmed up for another three minutes before play finally started.

“We decided to leave the pitch because it was impossible to play in these conditions. And we also thought going back to the dressing room might help calm the situation,” Messi added.

When the match started, dozens of police surrounded the Argentine fans. Police gathered around a section that holds about 3,000 fans. Brazilian fans, who jeered and applauded Messi before the brawl began, chanted against him when he returned to the pitch.

Brazil’s players remained on the pitch and warmed up while waiting for the Argentine team to return. Argentina leads the South American World Cup qualifiers with 15 points in six games. Brazil is in sixth position with seven points.

Source: Twitter, ESPN