‘Screams heard in tunnel’ after Benfica vs Barcelona clash with police forced to intervene in scuffle involving Raphinha
POLICE were forced to intervene after a mass brawl reportedly erupted between Barcelona and Benfica players.
The Catalan giants staged an incredible comeback from 4-2 down to win 5-4 in the Champions League last night.
Barca’s win was not without huge controversy as Benfica were adamant they should have had a penalty in 96th minute.
But the referee did not give it and Raphinha immediately went up the other end to score a last-gasp winner.
After a lengthy VAR stoppage, which would in effect decide the match in either way, the hosts’ spot-kick claims were denied and Barca’s goal stood.
Emotions ran high at full-time and tempers supposedly boiled over in the tunnel.
There was reportedly a brawl between Barcelona and Benfica players and “screams” were heard.
Police allegedly had to intervene, escorting Raphinha away and guarding the doors to both teams’ dressing rooms.
Asked about the incident by Movistar, the ex-Leeds star said: “I’m a person who respects everyone, but when I was leaving the pitch there were people who insulted me.
“I returned the insults. I know I shouldn’t do it, but I returned the insults. In the end we all got heated.
“They could have understood the situation, but they preferred to insult me.
“I’m a person who doesn’t take anything home, what they say to me, they’re going to hear it too.
“It was something that happened, we were all heated, but it’s normal in football after the end of a match like this.”
In the crazy game, three penalties were given, goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny wiped out his own team-mate as Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis netted a hat-trick and Barca star Ronald Araujo scored an own goal.
Before his winner, Raphinha made it 4-2 with an effort called “the weirdest goal ever” by fans.
Benfica stopper Anatoliy Trubin booted the ball up the pitch but it hit the Brazilian winger’s head from 25 yards out and flew into the open net.
At full-time, the Portuguese club’s manager Bruno Lage delivered a passionate team talk on the pitch.