An on-field spat between Atlético Madrid and Manchester City players has spilled into the tunnel after their Champions League quarter-final.
City raised the ire of Atlético players as they ran down the clock late in the second leg of their last-eight clash, with a 0-0 draw enough for the English side to progress 1-0 on aggregate.
Atlético defender Šime Vrsaljko played no part in the match, but tried to make his impact in the tunnel after the game.
In footage captured by broadcast cameras, Vrsaljko threw something at the City contingent and had to be held back as he was angrily gesticulating.
On the other side of the tunnel, City defender Kyle Walker had to be restrained by the visiting contingent as they walked up the steps.
Vrsaljko tried to launch himself at the City players, and as they approached the dressing rooms, police and security intervened in an attempt to restore calm.
The scenes will surely be investigated by UEFA, and City manager Pep Guardiola said he did not want to stoke the tensions.
"Everyone saw the action but I have nothing to say," Guardiola said when asked if he had anything thrown on or at him.
Tensions were already simmering around a flare-up in the 89th minute, when Felipe kicked out at City forward Phil Foden as Atlético was chasing the goal to force extra time.
Foden's head was already wrapped in a bandage after an earlier challenge in the game from Felipe as they contested a high ball.
As Foden was rolling around, perhaps to waste time, Atlético defender Stefan Savić charged over, tugging at his shirt and attempting to drag him up, drawing players from all around the pitch.
Once calm was restored, Felipe received his second yellow card and was sent on his way.
Perhaps the only surprise was there was not an additional red card after VAR reviewed the chaos, as former City defender Savić was seen seemingly attempting to headbutt Raheem Sterling and pulling unused substitute Jack Grealish's hair.
The Premier League champions, though, were not unsettled by the mayhem. Pep Guardiola's side held on through 13 minutes of stoppage time to reach the semi-finals, battered and bruised not only for their clash with Real Madrid, but also this weekend's FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool.
Reds reach final four
Liverpool reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since being crowned Europe's best club in 2019.
A round-of-16 exit followed in their title defence, before bowing out in the quarters in 2021, but they have returned to the final four with a 6-4 aggregate win over Portuguese club Benfica.
The score at one point suggested a more dominant victory for the Reds, as they jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second leg at Anfield, but goals to Roman Yaremchuk and Darwin Núñez in the final 15 minutes meant it ended in a 3-3 draw.
Liverpool will fancy its chances in the semis, avoiding German giant Bayern Munich and instead facing Spain's Villarreal, who beat Bayern 2-1 on aggregate thanks to a second-leg draw after their 1-0 win at home.
ABC/AP
