Gunning for them! Arsenal players brawl with armed riot police as ugly scenes mar Ronaldinho's super strike in Brazil

Gunning for them! Arsenal players brawl with armed riot police as ugly scenes mar Ronaldinho's super strike in Brazil - At least four players from Argentine club Arsenal were detained for interrogation after a confrontation with Brazilian police at a Copa Libertadores match on Wednesday.

Police said at least two officers and a journalist sustained minor injuries in the brawl after Atletico Mineiro's 5-2 win over the Argentine club in the city of Belo Horizonte.

The players will likely be charged after throwing punches and kicking the officers who were trying to protect the referees as the final whistle blew at the Independencia Stadium.

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Violence: Arsenal players clash with riot police who came onto the pitch to protect the referee

Fight: Disturbing scenes took place when the players tried to voice their dissatisfaction with the officials

Armed: A Brazilian anti-riot police officer aims his pellet shotgun at Arsenal players

Television images showed some of the players - who were not immediately identified - attacking the officers, who used shields and batons to protect themselves.

Some officers also had shotguns loaded with rubber bullets, although local police official Claudia Romualdo said no shots were fired at players. Police also were prepared to use tear gas to control the situation but it also wasn't needed.

The altercation began after several Arsenal players approached the officiating crew following the match to complain. Some police officers immediately arrived, shoving the players away and upsetting the Argentines.

Mindless: An Arsenal coach tries to calm down his players as they clash with the riot officers

Protection: The referee and linesman were heavily protected as they left the field

The confrontation continued as police tried to escort the players from the field.

'The officers were positioned to provide safety to the visiting players so they could go into the locker rooms, but inexplicably they attacked the officers again as they left the field,' Romualdo said.

She said one of the players hit her with a kick to her chest.

'What happened here is deplorable,' Romualdo said. 'This is not about sports. When our law is broken, obviously we need to take action.'

Problems: Argentinian clubs are angry with Brazil after Tigre were forced to stay off the field in the final of the 2012 Copa Sudamericana citing safety concerns after allegedly being assaulted by the police at half-time

Fiasco: The trouble continued into the dressing room as Arsenal were still unhappy with their treatment

Recompense: Nicolas Diego Aguirre (back right) of Arsenal and other teammates caused significant damage to the dressing room which Atletico Mineiro have said they will charge them for

Every Arsenal player and the entire Argentine delegation was kept from leaving the stadium until authorities were able to identify those who attacked the officers.

Atletico Mineiro club director Eduardo Maluf told local media that Arsenal's locker room was damaged by the Argentine delegation. He said the club will eventually ask Arsenal to pay for Atletico's losses.

'They came here to fight,' Atletico Mineiro coach Cuca said. 'I was tired of seeing their defensive midfielders kicking (our players) away from the ball.' 

Ronaldinho scored two of the goals for Atletico Mineiro, who has won all of its five matches to lead Group 3 of the Latin American club competition. Arsenal is third in the group. Only two teams will advance to the next round.

Brawl: The trouble started at the end of the first-half between both sets of players

Firing on all cylinders: Ronaldinho scored twice during the game, including one sumptuous finish

Old days: At moments the two-time winner of FIFA's World Player of the Year looked back to his very best

Video: Ronaldinho hits a powerful chip straight into the top corner

Dailymail.co.uk : PUBLISHED: 08:41 GMT, 4 April 2013 | UPDATED: 12:11 GMT, 4 April 2013