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News > Argentina

Copa Libertadores Final Match Postponed Due To Violence

  • Final Match of the Copa Libertadores 2018 has been postponed due to violence from River fans against Boca players.

    Final Match of the Copa Libertadores 2018 has been postponed due to violence from River fans against Boca players. | Photo: Reuters

Published 24 November 2018
Opinion

River Plate fans attacked the bus transporting Boca Juniors players to the Monumental stadium.

The final match of the Copa Libertadores 2018 has been postponed to Sunday 5:00 p.m. (local time) due to violent attacks from River Plate fans against the bus transporting Boca Juniors players.

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Several players have been injured, after fans of River Plate threw sticks, stones and tear gas at the bus transporting Boca Juniors players to the stadium. The players were also injured by the broken glass. 

This is a historic final of the Copa Libertadores, as is the first time these two clubs from Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, are facing each other on a final of the Libertadores Cup.

Pablo Perez, the captain of Boca, suffered an internal cut to the cornea of his left eye, and he is receiving medical care in a private clinic before the match begins. At least 4 Boca players have been injured, and others were affected by tear gas.

"In order to comply with the schedule of the final, the match will start at 7:15 p.m." tweeted the South American Confederation of Football (Conmebol).

The Conmebol also released a statement saying that the Boca players have only superficial injuries, and that from a medical point of view "there is no reason" to suspend the match. Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, the worldwide football regulatory institution, said that "the match has to be played today."

River Plate announced that "if Boca doesn't want to play, that match won't be played." and Marcello Gallardo, River's coach stated that "there are no conditions for the match to be played."

"We are not in a position to play the game, they are forcing us to play it, and no River player came to see us," Argentine star and one of the most veteran players in Boca, Carlos Tevez, stated. 

The police operation failed during the entrance of the Boca team to the stadium, which was chaotic. Political analysts are worried by this event's security since from Nov. 30 to Dec.1, Argentina will be hosting the next G20 summit, which will feature a counter-summit. Mauricio Macri's governmental security forces will have to be in control of the situation for the summit, and some analysts are worried about repressive actions.

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