Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors coach Jorge Benitez resigned Wednesday after television images showed him spitting at a Guadalajara player during the previous night's stormy Libertadores Cup tie.

The incident occurred during an on-field brawl in the second half of a tense quarter final tie as the home side headed towards elimination from the tournament they won three times between 2000 and 2003.

With Boca trailing 0-4 from the first leg in Mexico, Tuesday’s second leg remained goalless when the referee was forced to abandon the match in the 79th minute due to crowd violence sparked by the brawl.

“On the basis of the pictures which have been shown today (Wednesday) by various media organisations, the board of directors have decided to accept the resignation offered by Jorge Benitez,” club president Mauricio Macri said.

“The game did not finish in the way we wanted and we apologise to Chivas (Guadalajara) because the incidents which happened during the game do not fit in with our prestigious 100-year old institution.”

”We may suffer footballing defeats, and many more successes, but it should never be in doubt that we are sportsmen, gentlemen and good hosts.”

Trouble broke out at the Bombonera stadium after Guadalajara forward Adolfo Bautista clashed with Boca’s Raul Cascini.

Bautista showed four fingers to the crowd, indicating the aggregate score, and enraged his opponents, sparking a brawl in which he and Boca striker Martin Palermo were sent off.

Television pictures and media photographs showed that Benitez spat at Bautista as police led him along the touchline to the dressing room.

Bautista was also punched by a fan who scaled the five-metre high fences around the pitch and kicked by a ball boy as he was led away.

As missiles rained down on to the field, referee Martin Vazquez called the game off.

Macri said club officials involved in the trouble would be disciplined, including those who helped the fan climb over the fence and back into the crowd after attacking Bautista.