Goalkeeper Emi Martinez tries to stop riot police hitting fans with their batons as Brazil v Argentina descends into chaos.
The Aston Villa shot stopper is spotted on camera attempting to rip the baton out of an officer’s hand as the World Cup qualifier at the Maracana Stadium on Tuesday.
The two sides faced off in Rio de Janeiro with what was expected to be a fierce contest between the two sides, yet even before the game got underway, there was trouble in the stands.
Kick-off had to be delayed with Argentina’s Lionel Messi having to take his team off the pitch and back into the dressing room.
Fansd of both Brazil and Argentina were in close proximity, with violent scenes of fighting playing out during the national anthems.
Police went over with batons toward Argentina supporters as the Brazilian national anthem was heard and the worrying scenes escalated.
This is when it led to Martinez getting involved, attempting to making his way into the stand, then tries to get one of the batons out of the police officer’s hand.
He then points and shouts at one officer in particular, before fellow teammates and pitch-side security pull him away.
Incredible footage of Emiliano Martinez trying to stop the police beating the Argentinian supporters in the stands. 😳
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) November 22, 2023
What the fuck is going on here?!pic.twitter.com/Tf0mAgZ03q
— MATT 🅿️ (@PapaPincus) November 22, 2023
Genuine chaos at the Maracanã between Brazilian police and Argentina fans at the start of last night’s World Cup qualifier.
— HLTCO (@HLTCO) November 22, 2023
As Argentina players went inside, Brazil stars stayed out until the trouble calmed down. Several reports state that Argentina had demanded a 15-minute delay to determine if the game was fit to start following the chaos.
Eventually the game got underway, though it seems some of the heated scenes riled up players, with Messi in an exchange with Rodrygo.
The game played out to a 1-0 win for Argentina thanks to a Nicolas Otamendi header just after 60 minutes.
Newcastle’s Joelinton was sent off for hitting Rodrigo de Paul in the face in the 82nd minute, only three minutes after he came off the bench.
Brazil have now lost a home World Cup qualifier for the first time, and the result means they have lost three successive qualifiers to sit 6th in the South American qualifying table, eight points behind leaders Argentina, with the last spot (6th) getting a place at the 2026 finals, and those who finish 7th go into the Inter-confederation play-offs.
Messi said post-match, as per BBC Sport: “It was bad because we saw how they were beating people.
“The police, as happened in the Libertadores final, were once again repressing the people with night sticks.
“We went to the locker room because it was the best way to calm everything down, it could have ended in tragedy.
“You think about the families, the people who are there, who don’t know what’s going on and we were more concerned about that than playing a match that, at that point, was of secondary importance.”
Lisandro Martinez posted on IG: “It’s a shame to see what Brazilian police are doing! So how can that be possible? How long we have to see these scenes?! It’s always the same [in Brazil]”.
View this post on Instagram
Brazil’s Marquinhos, who went with Argentina players on the pitch asking for fans in the stands to keep calm, said: “We were worried about the families, women and children, that we were seeing in panic up there in the stands.
“Down on the pitch it was hard for us to understand what was going on, it was a very scary situation.”
Brazil were also booed by their own fans, while also being heard saying “Ole! Ole! Ole!” with Argentina passing the ball about with the clock ticking down, only angering caretaker manager Fernando Diniz further.
“The fans have the right to do what they want,” Diniz, who also had been booed off after the final whistle, told a press conference.
“The fans are passionate and want to win, so they have the right to boo, but I think shouting “Ole” to Argentina is a bit much.”
Rodrygo called Leo Messi and his teammates “cowards” last night.
The Argentinian’s response: “We are the world champions, why are we cowards? Shut your mouth…” 🇧🇷🇦🇷
🎥 @TyCSports pic.twitter.com/hUr8IBeTze
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) November 22, 2023
Twitter users gave their reaction after Emi Martinez tries to stop riot police hitting fans as Brazil v Argentina descends into chaos…
@KCCOvilla88: 🐐 keeper – Emi Martinez might be one of our best buys ever #avfc
@hobbo111: Needs to protect those big hands 🙌
@Obadimz: Man saves on and off the pitch
@Jc_twitty: Looks more like Brazilian police are aggressors
@Villamole1: Wanna hit the fans with a baton? You’d better come through me…. Emi Martinez 🍺 #AVFC
@lfinnegan8: My keeper 🙌🏻💜 Emi Martinez no fucks given 👏🏻 #avfc
@dezpne: Something needs done about gang handed policing and stewarding in football all round the world it seems
@tylerAV_1: He’s Argentinian he only cost 20 million, he also fights Brazilians… Emi Martinez 😂👏 go on emi #avfc
@DadsThatTravel: Wild scenes a bit aggressive from the police properly didn’t help though
@alagstakes: Authorities should treat people better! It’s a disgrace!
@MacIsBack_93: South America football is something else
@headofgrey: That’s how you police violent crowds… without fear or compromise. Large destructive crowds are easily tamed by a few determined individuals, given cowardice is often part of the make up of the fight in numbers brigade.
@KevBhoyDevil: This is utter madness
@Markafc87: Fair play to Martinez man these cops are on smoke
@ShaunLFC9: Rightly so they were beating fans who were holding there hands up
@abbieleighh26: Just seen emi martinez tried scrapping Brazilian police. Is he mentally sane?
@_Hazpilicueta: saving people from getting attacked, top bloke
You must be logged in to post a comment Login