The clash between Corinthians and São Paulo at Itaquera took a heated turn late in the first half. After Luciano’s goal in the 40th minute, tensions soared, leading to a halt in play as Calleri was hit by objects and Bobadilla made an alleged obscene gesture.
The trouble began during the goal celebration. Luciano, who had received an assist from Paraguayan teammate Bobadilla after winning the ball off Raniele, celebrated near the corner flag. Despite not kicking it as he had in previous occasions, he faced intense booing from the crowd. As other São Paulo players joined to embrace him, Calleri was struck by two items.
The Tricolor number 9 immediately fell to the ground. Official broadcast footage showed the Argentine was hit on his right hand, though he remained lying with his hand on the back of his neck. The situation escalated when Matheus Bidu attempted to lift the opposing player, sparking pushing and shoving.
Footage also revealed that two objects hit Calleri: a pair of glasses and an electronic cigarette, which is banned for sale in Brazil. Referee Anderson Daronco, who had been managing the game well up to that point, issued yellow cards to players from both sides.
The match did not restart quickly. Play was suspended for nearly 10 minutes, not only due to the incident involving Calleri but also the controversy surrounding Bobadilla. The Paraguayan midfielder was caught on camera making what appeared to be an obscene gesture during the celebration of the Tricolor’s equalizer.
The VAR reviewed the footage and called Daronco to the monitor. After a few minutes of analysis, the referee concluded that the São Paulo player did not touch his private parts. Thus, no red card punishment was issued.
Seven minutes of added time were signaled, and the first half ended with the score tied at 1-1.
