Wednesday night's UEFA Champions League second leg clash between Premier League holders Manchester City and La Liga champions Atletico Madrid descended into utter chaos at the Wanda Metropolitano following Stefan Savic's attack on Jack Grealish after the final whistle inside the tunnel.
Subsequently, Atletico right-back Sime Vrsaljko joined Savic in the fight against City's players as he tried to spit on Kyle Walker.
But he didn't stop there, as he went on to throw the goalkeeper's gloves in the direction of Pep Guardiola's men. However, the Spanish club's staff somehow managed to hold him back.
A handrail separated the two teams as they proceeded towards their respective dressing rooms in the tunnel. But it didn't prevent Vrsaljko from having a go at Walker and Aymeric Laporte, who he'd already angered by throwing the gloves at them.
At this stage, Marcos Llorente threw an object on Laporte, leading to a physical altercation between the players of the opposite camps. Later, more projectiles flew through the air.
At that stage, four policemen, all dressed in riot gear, entered the tunnel to prevent the incident from escalating further.
However, long before their scuffle on the stairs, Savic had started the melee on the pitch itself.
After the home team's defender Felipe was handed a red card for kicking Phil Foden, Savic couldn't control his emotions and charged at him, before dragging the England midfielder off the pitch.
Savic still ran amok as he went on to headbutt Raheem Sterling. His disgraceful rampage though didn't stop there, as he grabbed Grealish by his hair after the ex-Aston Villa skipper seemed to have made a comment. Reports in several British newspapers later said that Grealish used the phrase "c**t" to provoke his rival.
But he didn't stop there, as he went on to throw the goalkeeper's gloves in the direction of Pep Guardiola's men. However, the Spanish club's staff somehow managed to hold him back.
A handrail separated the two teams as they proceeded towards their respective dressing rooms in the tunnel. But it didn't prevent Vrsaljko from having a go at Walker and Aymeric Laporte, who he'd already angered by throwing the gloves at them.
At this stage, Marcos Llorente threw an object on Laporte, leading to a physical altercation between the players of the opposite camps. Later, more projectiles flew through the air.
At that stage, four policemen, all dressed in riot gear, entered the tunnel to prevent the incident from escalating further.
However, long before their scuffle on the stairs, Savic had started the melee on the pitch itself.
After the home team's defender Felipe was handed a red card for kicking Phil Foden, Savic couldn't control his emotions and charged at him, before dragging the England midfielder off the pitch.
Savic still ran amok as he went on to headbutt Raheem Sterling. His disgraceful rampage though didn't stop there, as he grabbed Grealish by his hair after the ex-Aston Villa skipper seemed to have made a comment. Reports in several British newspapers later said that Grealish used the phrase "c**t" to provoke his rival.
Former Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand, who witnessed the whole episode from the BT Sports studio in London, slammed Atletico's footballers for their shameful actions as he declared that their behaviour was "distasteful" and "embarrassing".
"Distasteful behaviour from the Atletico players, they should be embarrassed with some of the antics they have gone on with," he concluded.
"Distasteful behaviour from the Atletico players, they should be embarrassed with some of the antics they have gone on with," he concluded.