New footage has emerged that appears to show what sparked the mass brawl following England U21’s 3-1 European Championship quarter-final win over Spain on Saturday evening. James McAtee, Harvey Elliott, and Elliot Anderson all found the net on a momentous night for the Young Lions, who will face the Netherlands in next week’s semi-final.
But just as the final whistle blew, so did tempers in Trnava, Slovakia, as chaos erupted between players and staff. Spain striker Mateo Joseph seemed particularly agitated by England defender Charlie Cresswell, and Jay Stansfield had to step in to separate the feuding sides. Meanwhile, Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton confronted a member of the Spanish entourage, prompting Lee Carsley to intervene and diffuse the situation.
While the catalyst for the tumult was initially unclear, new footage seems to shed light on the incident. Napoli defender Rafa Marín was shown a straight red card for stepping onto the pitch to join the melee, but it was one of his teammates who first ignited the ugly scenes.
What Started England U21’s Mass Brawl With Spain
The red mist appeared to stem from a reckless, studs-up tackle.
Just before the full-time whistle blew, one of the Spanish forwards lunged into a challenge against Newcastle United right-back Tino Livramento. Livramento might have suffered serious injuries as a result of the excessively forceful attempt to win the ball, which completely missed him. Colleagues reacted sharply to this careless move, which paved the way for the mayhem that ensued after the game.
According to England captain McAtee’s post-match statement, this event did appear to be the catalyst for the altercation that followed the final whistle.”I never saw the challenge,” the Manchester City youth product remarked. “I saw the boys getting into it, so I had to step in to help. It’s part of football, and you have to stand together as a team.
“It’s a big game, we understand that. It’s two strong teams in the tournament, so when they start kicking off, we can’t just sit back and let them do it; we have to respond. I’m proud of the boys for standing up.”
