Ruling expected on fate of Copa Libertadores final

The most anticipated Copa Libertadores final in years might not be decided on the pitch.

The disciplinary committee of South American soccer body CONMEBOL will decide today whether to disqualify River Plate, force the second leg with archrival Boca Juniors to be played behind closed doors, or transfer the match to a neutral stadium. The first leg was drawn 2-2.

River fans attacked the Boca team bus near River’s stadium on Saturday, pelting it with rocks, bottles and wood, and shattering windows. Several players were injured, and had trouble breathing because of tear gas and pepper spray used by police to quell the fan violence.

CONMEBOL postponed the final from Saturday to Sunday, then postponed it on Sunday indefinitely when it was obvious the Boca team was in no fit state to play what Argentines have been hyping as “the final of the century.”

The fate of the South American club title now rests with administrators. History doesn’t favour River. In 2015, CONMEBOL disqualified Boca in the round of 16 after River players were attacked with pepper spray on the pitch of Boca’s La Bombonera stadium.

“Any sanction different from the one applied to Boca would bring a clear and unfair discrepancy,” Boca wrote to CONMEBOL on Monday.

Boca has threatened to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if River is not sanctioned.