Fans stormed the pitch and attacked players during the Paraguayan Superclasico between Cerro Porteno and Olimpia, forcing players to flee down the tunnel. Police clashed with supporters in the unsavoury scenes at the Estadio ueno La Nueva Olla in Asuncion.
Match suspended after projectiles thrown
Romeo Benítez had doubled Olimpia's lead in the second half, after Eduardo Delmas broke the deadlock, when the trouble started. Benítez celebrated in front of the home stand, causing projectiles to be thrown.
Police had to intervene as bottles and chairs were launched onto the pitch and the game was suspended for a few minutes as order was restored. However, problems quickly restarted.
Players chased down the tunnel
Viral footage on social media has shown the moment that fans spilled out onto the pitch and chased the Olimpia players. In the same clip, the Olimpia players can be seen trying to escape the fans by rushing down the tunnel at the other end of the ground - with a couple being caught in skirmishes.
Local reports suggest there were 32 arrests and two police officers were injured in the unsavoury scenes.
Previous clashes and police response
Earlier this year, violent clashes between fans and police caused the abandonment of their derby. On that occasion, police fired rubber bullets and tear gas into the stands to try and regain control.
Fans and police officers were injured in the clashes, with David Torales, a spokesperson for a local hospital, saying the "officers sustained head injuries, lacerations, including possible stab wounds, and other injuries".
"Police officers acted immediately to ensure the safety of those in attendance," read a statement issued by local police. It added that they are working to "identify those who instigated the conflict so that they may be sanctioned and barred from attending future sporting events".
