Copa Libertadores final to be played outside Argentina

THE twice-postponed second leg of the Copa Libertadores final between fierce local rivals River Plate and Boca Juniors will be played next month outside Argentina, South American football administrators Conmebol said yesterday.

But Boca Juniors president Daniel Angelici said he will take an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if necessary to back up his argument that River should be disqualified after violence from their fans at the weekend, and the trophy awarded to his side.

Following a meeting with the two Argentine clubs’ presidents in the Paraguayan capital Asuncion, Conmebol said the match would take place on “Dec 8 or 9 outside Argentina” at an as yet undecided venue.

Conmebol president Alejandro Dominguez told reporters that “the final cannot be played in Argentina.”

A Conmebol statement said that due to the “violence… that put players, officials and fans at risk… it would not be prudent to play the final in Argentina”.

The tie is delicately poised following a 2-2 draw at Boca’s Bombonera stadium just over two weeks ago.

Dominguez had praised the teams’ presidents on Saturday for coming to “a gentleman’s agreement” in agreeing to delay the match.

But Angelici petitioned the continent’s governing body to award them the trophy.

“We have no intention of playing another final,” he said, vowing to “exhaust all administrative avenues” to get his way.

On Monday, his River counterpart Rodolfo D’Onofrio blasted Angelici’s “betrayal” and branded him “shameful.”

“I’m struggling to believe he cannot keep his promise, we signed a document and we shook hands.” D’Onofrio fumed on Radio Mitre.– AFP