Boca Juniors have sacked coach Jorge Benitez for spitting on a Mexican player during Tuesday night’s Copa Libertadores stormy quarter-final tie with Chivas Guadalajara.

The Argentine side, trailing 4-0 from the first leg in Mexico, were heading for defeat when players started fighting, forcin g the referee to abandon the match after fans hurled missiles onto the pitch.

Television pictures showed Benitez spitting on Audolfo Bautista who was held responsible for starting the brawl by holding four fingers up to the crowd.

Bautista and Boca striker Martin Palermo were sent off as tempers frayed among the players.