River Plate object to game move

Argentine side RIVER PLATE have objected to playing the postponed second leg of their Copa Libertadores final against BOCA JUNIORS in Madrid.

After the first leg ended 2-2, the derby between the Buenos Aires clubs was twice postponed last weekend, following an attack on the Boca team bus by River Plate fans. The match is due to be played on December 9 and has been moved more than 6,000 miles away to Real Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium.

But River Plate said it was “incomprehensible” to play it in Spain.

The club said moving the final of the Copa Libertadores – the South American equivalent of the Champions League – to Spain “distorts the competition” and “denied unjustifiably” the spectators who had attended the original match.

JUVENTUS stretched their yawning lead atop Serie A to 11 points with a convincing 3-0 victory over FIORENTINA at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. The defending champions, who have only dropped two points in the top-flight this season, went ahead courtesy of Rodrigo Bentancur’s fine finish in the 31st minute. Captain Giorgio Chiellini doubled their lead after the interval in scrappy fashion before Cristiano Ronaldo (above) added gloss to the scoreline from the penalty spot. BAYERN MUNICH recorded their first win in four Bundesliga matches by beating WERDER BREMEN 2-1 at the Weser-stadion.

A brace from Serge Gnabry either side of a Yuya Osako header for home side Bremen was enough to secure all three points for the Bavarian side. Third-placed Bayern are nine points behind leaders BORUSSIA DORTMUND, who beat FC FRIEBURG at home with goals from a 40th-minute Maco Reus penalty and a Paco Alcacer stoppage-time clincher.