Chaos at a top-flight Colombia game as 1,400 fans storm the pitch and ATTACK players and coaching staff, resulting in the game being abandoned… with Deportivo Cali forward Teofilo Gutierrez being ‘punched and kicked’ by his own supporters
- A top-flight Colombian game was abandoned after fans stormed the pitch
- The game between Deportivo Cali and Cortulua was abandoned after 81 minutes
- Supporters attacked players and coaching staff trying to rush off the pitch
- Deportivo Cali forward Teofilo Gutierrez and coach Mayer Candelo were also said to have been attacked
A top game in Colombia was abandoned after 1,400 fans stormed the pitch and attacked players and coaching staff.
Deportivo Cali’s trip to Cortulua was thrown into chaos in the 81st minute of play on Wednesday as a large crowd of fans poured onto the pitch at the Estadio Doce de Octubre.
Supporters – most of whom were reportedly Deportivo Cali fans – began verbally and physically abusing players and staff.
While some players managed to get to safety, others weren’t so lucky as they couldn’t leave the pitch in time.
The Sun reported that Deportivo Cali forward Teofilo Gutierrez was “kicked and punched” by his own supporters.
Manager Mayer Candelo is said to have also been injured in the attacks. Video shows him being taken away by security guards who, along with the police, are struggling to deal with the pitch intruders.
Deportivo Cali has since released an official statement urging local authorities to intervene to prevent a similar incident from happening again in the future.
Around 1,400 fans stormed onto the pitch during Deportivo Cali’s game against Cortulua in Colombia
Deportivo Cali forward Teofilo Gutierrez was attacked by his own fans on the pitch, while the club’s manager Mayer Candelo is said to have been injured during the attacks
Fans confront Gutierrez with reports he was “punched and kicked”.
Police and security forces struggled to contain the huge crowd that poured onto the pitch
The statement read: “The Cali Sports Association, Executive Committee, President Luis Fernando Mena, professional staff, officials and staff strongly reject the aggression, harassment and violence suffered by our team during the game against Cortulua.
“It unequivocally condemns any act of violence against our players and coaching staff.
“We respectfully ask the government and sports authorities to intervene to avoid a future tragedy that mourns our sport.”
Cortulua, meanwhile, released a statement of their own in which they said they had identified the fans who entered the pitch during the game, which they would make available to local authorities.
The fans stormed onto the field in the 81st minute of their away game at Cortulua – the game was abandoned and ended in a 2-0 win for the hosts
Deportivo Cali fans are frustrated by the club’s poor form, which sees them bottom in the Categoria Primera A with just eight points from 13 games so far
Colombian player Nicholas Benedetti, a former Deportivo Cali player who now plays for Mexican club Mazatlan, also condemned the attacks.
In a post retweeted by the Colombian side, Benedetti said: “Violence is never the way and will never be justified.
“No one goes out to lose a game or harm the institution. There are many ways to express yourself and make people feel when things are not going well, but never respect people or their physical integrity.”
The game was ruled a 2-0 defeat for Deportivo Cali, who are bottom of the Categoria Primera A with just eight points from 13 games.
It forms a great contrast to the 2021 season, which saw Deportivo Cali win its tenth title.
Deportivo Cali condemned the attacks on social media and called on the authorities to act to prevent something like this from happening again in the future
