CONMEBOL suspends Copa Libertadores final after attack
489 views · Published 1 December 2018 · 2:05 · Indexed 27 September 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(25 Nov 2018) The Copa Libertadores final between fierce Argentine rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate was postponed Sunday in a major embarrassment for South American football. The game - the continent's equivalent of Europe's Champions League final - had already been put back from Saturday to Sunday after Boca's bus was attacked by River fans. South American soccer body CONMEBOL said on Sunday that the second leg of the final will be rescheduled but did not give a date or say whether the venue would be changed. It will meet to discuss the details in Asuncion, Paraguay, on Tuesday. Boca asked the soccer body earlier Sunday to suspend the game at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium and sanction River for the behaviour of its fans. The first leg on November 11 ended 2-2 at Boca's La Bombonera Stadium. It was originally scheduled to be held November 10 but was delayed 24 hours due to heavy rain. Boca said in a statement that it told CONMEBOL the two Buenos Aires teams would not be playing under equal conditions after the attack on Saturday. Team captain and midfielder Pablo Perez had an eye injured by shattered glass. Boca also said it wants River to be punished after the attack near the Monumental de Nunez stadium, including possible disqualification and the title being awarded to Boca. River had already opened the stadium's gates when the match was suspended. FIFA President Gianni Infantino is in Buenos Aires for the final. Several Boca players were injured by the attack and some also suffered the consequences of police use of tear gas and pepper spray outside the vehicle. Boca captain Pablo Perez and teenager Gonzalo Lamardo were taken to nearby hospitals, where fans gathered in support. Perez had injuries to his arms and an eye, according to images of Boca's locker room shared on social media. Lamardo had trouble breathing because of the gas. One medical doctor, Alejandro Weremczuk, examined Perez and Lamardo and said they should not play. After the match was postponed on Saturday, some of the more than 66,000 River fans also tried to storm the teams' locker rooms. Others clashed with police outside. Boca fans could not attend the final at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium because of a 2013 ban on away fans in Argentina. Saturday's incident is being compared to another game involving the two sides in the Round of 16 of the 2015 Copa Libertadores. In a match at Boca's La Bombonera Stadium, fans used pepper spray against River players as they entered the pitch. Several had eye injuries and had trouble breathing. CONMEBOL ruled that River was the winner and advanced to the next phase. Boca had its stadium suspended from international competitions and also was given a financial penalty. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/2019ca1501be5364c149f42745f42336
