New footage purports to reveal what prompted the major brawl after England U21’s 3-1 European Championship quarter-final win against Spain on Saturday evening. James McAtee, Harvey Elliott, and Elliot Anderson all scored on a historic night for the Young Lions, who will meet the Netherlands in next week’s semi-final.
However, as the final whistle blew, tempers flared in Trnava, Slovakia, and chaos ensued between players and staff. Spain attacker Mateo Joseph appeared to be particularly irritated by England defender Charlie Cresswell, before Jay Stansfield intervened to separate the snarling teams. Meanwhile, Liverpool player Tyler Morton appeared to attack a member of the Spanish entourage, before Lee Carsley intervened to calm him down. Watch the incident below.
While it remained unclear what prompted the moment of craziness, new film appears to provide a lot of answers. Rafa Marín, a Napoli defender, received a straight red card for joining the scuffles on the pitch. However, it was one of his teammates who initiated the conflict.
What Started England U21’s Mass Brawl With Spain
The red mist appeared to stem from an overzealous, studs-up tackle
Just before the final whistle, one of the Spain forwards pressing Newcastle United right-back Tino Livramento launched into a challenge. Fortunately, his lunging, studs-up attempt to win the ball (if you can call it that) missed the Englishman; else, it may have caused significant injury. Nonetheless, his comrades swiftly confronted him. Watch the new footage below.
This incident appeared to be the source of the scuffles after the final whistle, and England captain McAtee addressed it in his post-match interview. “I never saw the challenge,” the Manchester City youth product stated, according to the Daily Mail. “I watched the boys start getting into it, so I always went in to help. It’s part of football, and you simply have to work together as a team.
“We understand that this is an important game. It’s two big teams in the competition, so when they start, we can’t sit back and let them do it; we have to give them something back, so I’m pleased with the players.”
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