Palmeiras players were attacked by their own fans at Buenos Aires city airport on Thursday after they conceded an injury-time goal to lose 1-0 against Argentina’s Tigre in the Libertadores Cup.
Verdão goalkeeper Fernando Prass suffered a cut to his ear and some glasses were broken during the attack by about 30 fans before the team boarded a flight to return to São Paulo.
The club said in a statement: “Palmeiras repudiate the acts of violence which injured Fernando Prass and do not recognise the people who took part in this sad episode as supporters of the club.”
Club president Paulo Nobre described the assailants as “irrational bandits and not passionate supporters.”
Argentine sports daily Ole and Brazil’s Globo said the fans were mainly after Chilean midfielder Jorge Valdivia, who hid in airport restrooms as hooligans fought with players and security personnel until police intervened.
Palmeiras will compete in Série B this season following relegation from the top flight of Brazilian football last season.
Source: Reuters
