MADRID (AP) — A preseason friendly between Real Betis and Italian club Como got extra heated, with players exchanging punches and sparking a mass scuffle.

There were several rough exchanges in the first half of the match in southern Spain on Wednesday, and Betis player Pablo Fornals and Como midfielder Maximo Perrone then got into an altercation entering halftime. They had a few brief words to each other and then started exchanging blows.

Players from both teams rushed in and the altercation escalated. The benches were cleared, with substitutes and staff members entering the field, some trying to break up the fighting.

It took several moments before order was reestablished. The referee sent off a player from each team.

“We are competitive and both teams want to win, but in the end there’s a line you can’t cross in these matches,” Betis midfielder Sergi Altimira said. “They were making many fouls, stopping the match all the time.”

Como, which will face Barcelona in another preseason match on Sunday, won the friendly 3-2.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer