Boca bus attack forces Copa Libertadores final postponement
‘Shameful’ attack on Boca bus forces delay
BUENOS AIRES: Saturday’s “superclasico” Copa Libertadores final second leg between Argentine arch-rivals River Plate and Boca Juniors was postponed until this morning (Thai time) following a “shameful” attack on the Boca team bus that left players affected by smoke inhalation and broken glass.
Alejandro Dominguez, the president of competition organisers Conmebol told Fox television that the two teams had agreed to the postponement and the game was rescheduled to take place at River’s Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires this morning.
“I want to congratulate both club presidents because there has been a gentleman’s agreement between them,” said Dominguez, head of South American football’s governing body.
“In these conditions the game was distorted. One team couldn’t play and the other doesn’t want to play against a rival that isn’t in the right conditions.”
Conmebol originally delayed the match more than two hours when Boca players were affected by tear gas and broken glass after their team bus was pelted with “pepper spray, sticks and stones” on the way to the stadium.
“It’s a very sad day, there are a few misfits at every club,” said Boca president Daniel Angelici.
“This should shame us as a society and I find it very sad that we have to reschedule such an important match.”
His River counterpart, Rodolfo D’Onofrio added: “As an Argentine and as a football leader, I find this shameful.”
Despite the bus travelling through the streets of the upmarket Nunez neighbourhood towards River Plate’s ground under police guard, it came under fire from projectiles thrown by a group of the home side’s fans.
After the match was postponed, there were scuffles and several arrests outside the ground between as supporters clashed with police.
After Conmebol’s original decision just to delay the match, Boca veteran Carlos Tevez spoke to Fox television and complained: “We’re not in a condition to play. They’re forcing us to play.”
Boca players were left coughing and teary eyed after the attack that shattered several of their bus’s windows.
“They attacked us from everywhere,” said Boca captain Pablo Perez, who was taken to a local hospital for treatment before returning to the ground.
“Pablo has just returned from hospital and has a bandage on his eye,” added Tevez, a former Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus forward.
“Other teammates have cuts. We’ve only just been able to breathe well because we were affected by the gas. We can’t play like this,” said Tevez, who won the Copa Libertadores in 2003 during his first of three stints with Boca. However, organisers later relented. “It’s not easy to take this decision when there are 60,000 people in the stadium and the [television] rights have been sold to a ton of countries,” said Angelici.
“But the most important thing is to look after the physical and psychological condition of the team.”
D’Onofrio added: “It’s the right decision and we hope to be able to play in peace tomorrow.”
It is the first time ever two Argentine teams have contested the final of the Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of Europe’s Champions League and has been dubbed the biggest club match in the history of Argentine football.
The two sides are locked at 2-2 from the first leg two weeks ago at Boca’s iconic Bombonera stadium, which was also delayed 24 hours but due to the weather.
Conmebol had originally seemed to be insisting the game go ahead and a statement from its medical commission shown on television said some players had suffered “superficial cuts”.
Although central defender Carlos Izquierdoz said River fans had thrown pepper spray as well as sticks and stones, a Boca official told the press that the gas came from the police trying to disperse the attackers.
“There was a lack of control in the last streets close to the Monumental. The police were overwhelmed by all the vandalism and had to disperse the River fans with tear gas,” said the unnamed official.
There will be no Boca fans at the second leg as travelling support has been banned at all Argentine football matches since 2013 due to hooliganism.