RIVER JOIN BOCA IN MADRID AHEAD OF LIBERTADORES DECIDER

MADRID: Argentinian giants River Plate landed in Madrid on Thursday ahead of their long-anticipated Libertadores Cup decider against bitter rivals Boca Juniors. The first leg of the two-leg final — the first to pit the Buenos Aires rivals against each other — ended 2-2 at Boca’s Bombonera ground last month. River were set to host the return at their El Monumental stadium on November 24 but it was postponed after River Plate fans attacked the Boca Juniors team bus. As punishment, South America’s football federation CONMEBOL ruled that River would lose home advantage, and fears over further fan violence meant the game would be played outside Argentina.