Copa Libertadores Final Postponed a Day After Fans Attack Boca Juniors' Bus

Boca Juniors’ Bus Attacked on Way to Copa Libertadores Final

Image

Fans received medical treatment outside the stadium before a match between River Plate and Boca Juniors on Saturday.CreditCreditMartin Acosta/Reuters

By The Associated Press

Nov. 24, 2018

BUENOS AIRES — The most anticipated, most festive — and most heated — rivalry in South America was thrown into doubt on Saturday when Boca Juniors players were injured after their bus was attacked on the way to the Copa Libertadores final against River Plate.

Daniel Angelici, Boca’s team president, requested a suspension of the decisive second leg, but the South American soccer body Conmebol initially said it would delay kickoff for only one hour. Then it pushed the match back 2 hours 15 minutes.

Video showed at least three windows in Boca’s bus being smashed by objects, including one that apparently was a pepper spray grenade, upon arrival at River Plate’s Monumental stadium.

#TNTSports | Continúan los incidentes en la cancha de River en la previa de la Superfinal ante Boca. pic.twitter.com/MxMUxlFuCM
— TNT Sports LA (@TNTSportsLA) November 24, 2018

The police made arrests in the area, but it was not clear whether those were connected to the incidents.

Captain Pablo Pérez and Gonzalo Lamardo were taken to a nearby clinic. Perez had cuts in his arms, and an eye was hurt by shattered glass. Lamardo had trouble breathing because of tear gas.

Footage also showed the players Carlos Tevez, Nahitan Nandes, Dario Benedetto, Mauro Zarate, Ramon Abila, and Agustin Almendra among the injured.

“They threw pepper spray at us, all sorts of objects,” Benedetto, a striker, said.

About 66,000 River Plate fans were in the stadium waiting for the match. No visiting fans are allowed in the stadium, because of a 2013 ban on away fans to stop football related violence in Argentina.

Boca and River drew, 2-2, in the first leg two weeks ago.