Botafogo defender Alexander Barboza had a front tooth knocked out by Flamengo centre back Cleiton with a blindside punch in a brawl between players at the end of a heated Rio de Janeiro derby in the Carioca Championship at the Maracana.
At the end of Flamengo's 1-0 home win over Copa Libertadores and Brazilian league champions Botafogo on Wednesday, Barboza and Bruno Henrique started an argument that resulted in the Argentine centre-back shoving Flamengo's Brazilian winger to the ground, sparking a mass brawl.
Barboza, named the best defender in South America last season and a starter in the 2024 Copa Libertadores' team of the year following Botafogo's remarkable double campaign, left the field bleeding and missing a front tooth.
It was an ill-tempered match between the city rivals, with Botafogo's players complaining to the referee midway through the first half that midfielder Nicolas de la Cruz had elbowed winger Matheus Martins in the face, asking for a red card.
Alexander Barboza had his tooth knocked out by a blindside punch.