Portugal, Minho derby: 3 minutes of silence and 3 reds, Police in the locker room at the end of the game…

Vitoria Guimarães finished the first half 2-0 up against a ten-man Sporting Braga after Niakatè was sent off. Then in the second half also red for Tiago Silva (Vitoria Guimarães) and goal in the final for Braga. But another expulsion in the 94th minute…

In the north of Portugal there is the derby do Minho, the match between the two teams of Vitoria Guimarães and Sporting Braga. Rivalry between cities, between territories and therefore also football. Some say in Portugal that the rivalry between Guimarães and Braga is almost as old as the Cathedral of Braga. It is something genetic, that is, it is part of the identity of the two populations. It all started over the centuries with the fact that the priests of Guimarães had to accept the authority of the archbishop of Braga.

Braga is the capital of the district

The rivalry has been felt over the years and one of the highest moments was the appointment of Braga as the district capital. Precisely for these historical reasons it seemed strange to everyone that the two ultra factions of Guimarães and Braga agreed, before the derby staged on Monday 27 February, to take a common position. In fact, both groups of fans arrived at the stadium for the Minho derby having decided to observe three minutes of silence at both corners, between the 25th and 28th minute of the match. In a joint statement, the supporters spoke of “a symbolic act against all those laws in which the figure of the fan is repeatedly discredited and marginalized. Repression, censorship and discrimination prevail in stadiums”.

Everyone agree? Everything OK? Not even by idea, then everything happened on the pitch. Even the police had to intervene to calm the spirits between players and staff members of Vitória Guimarães and Sporting Braga after the match. Vitória-Braga (2-1) the final result, but immediately after the final whistle and in the access tunnel to the locker rooms of Guimarães’ Estádio D. Afonso Henriques there were hints of brawl and forbidden shots between players and staff making it necessary to l intervention of the agents. Three players were sent off during the match, one from Vitoria Guimarães and two from Sporting Braga.

Not only that: during this same Primera Liga match between Guimarães and Braga, the supporters of Guimarães’ black and white team began to rant and insult the visiting fans who had come from Braga, when at a certain point several seats were thrown . Only the timely intervention of the police prevented the worst. The footage went around the web and the unrest between the two sectors can be clearly seen.