RIO DE JANEIRO, April 14: An Argentine footballer spent Wednesday night in custody after allegedly racially insulting a Brazilian opponent during a Libertadores Cup match, a Sao Paulo police spokesman said on Thursday. Quilmes defender Leandro Desabato was arrested by police at the end of his team’s 3-1 defeat by Sao Paulo on Wednesday night over a first-half incident involving rival striker Grafite, the official said.

Desabato was taken to the nearest station for questioning and spent the night in a police cell.

His team mates, who had been due to return to Buenos Aires on an early flight, stayed in the city, media reports said.

Sao Paulo players had complained that Quilmes supporters racially insulted them during the first match in Buenos Aires last month. Quilmes later sent a formal apology.

Wednesday’s incident happened in injury time at the end of the first half of an bad-tempered match.

Grafite was involved in a tangle with Carlos Arano, another Quilmes player, and Desabato appeared to make a comment as he joined in the altercation.—Reuters