An Argentinian domestic match descended into chaos when irate Luis Maciel of Sporting de Santo Pipó knocked the referee unconscious after being sent off, prompting local police to arrest the player.
Maciel's Sporting de Santo Pipo were trailing rivals Miter 3-1 with ten minutes to go in the final of Liga de Posadas, when referee Gabriel Cortinez issued Sporting player Matías Benítez a second yellow card for alleged insults to rival players.
This prompted teammate Maciel to attack the referee with a two-punch combination which knocked the official out cold and left him unconscious on the pitch.
Un jugador noquea al árbitro en pleno partido.
El colegiado Gabriel Cortínez fue golpeado por Luis Maciel del Sporting de Santo Pipó en la final de la Liga de Posadas, en Argentina.
El futbolista fue llevado a bartolina y liberado a las pocas horas. pic.twitter.com/HMvk7DHbg4
— Marcador Final (@MarcadorGMV) December 17, 2018
Cortinez received lengthy treatment from paramedics while bleeding from the mouth and laying prone on the turf, including being placed in a neck brace, before leaving the stadium in an ambulance.
Commenting on the assault after the match, Cortinez admitted he couldn't remember anything after looking at his watch to check how much injury time was left in the game.
Gabriel Cortinez:⚽️