The Copa Libertadores is the most prestigious club football competition in South America, but its 2018 final between arch-rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate will forever be remembered not for the football, but for the unprecedented chaos that forced it to be moved across an ocean.
The Buildup to Bedlam
Dubbed the biggest club match in the 127-year history of Argentine football, the second leg of the final was set for November 24, 2018 at River Plate's Estadio Monumental. The first leg at Boca's La Bombonera had ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw, setting the stage for a monumental decider.
However, the occasion descended into violence before a ball was kicked. As the Boca Juniors team bus approached the stadium, it was ambushed by River Plate supporters. The fans hurled objects, shattering the bus windows and injuring players with shards of broken glass.
The situation was exacerbated when police used tear gas to disperse the rowdy crowds, with the gas seeping into the bus and affecting the players further. Boca Juniors midfielder Pablo Perez and defender Leonardo Balerdi were seen with eye patches, while former Manchester City and United star Carlos Tevez reportedly suffered from dizziness and vomiting.
Postponement and a Historic Decision
After twice delaying the kick-off, authorities made the drastic decision to postpone the match. Carlos Tevez summed up the players' condition, stating, "Pablo has just returned from hospital and has a bandage on his eye. Other team-mates have cuts. We've only just been able to breathe well because we were affected by the gas. We can't play like this."
The match was rescheduled for December 9, but the venue was changed to one of the most iconic stadiums in the world: Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu, over 6,000 miles away in Spain. This marked a historic first for the South American final. Both sets of fans were allocated an equal number of tickets for the neutral ground.
Fallout and Legacy
The fallout was severe. The mayor of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodriguez Larreta, condemned the River Plate hooligans, labelling them the "mafia of Argentine soccer." As a direct consequence, River Plate was hit with a substantial fine of £312,734.
When the final was eventually played in Madrid, it was River Plate who emerged victorious. After a 1-1 draw in normal time, late goals in extra time from Juan Fernando Quintero and Pity Martinez secured a 3-1 win on the night and a 5-3 aggregate victory, clinching River's fourth Copa Libertadores title.
The 2018 debacle had a lasting impact on the competition's format. Since that incident, the Copa Libertadores final has been played as a single match at a neutral venue, a rule change designed to prevent a repeat of the violence that overshadowed South American football's showpiece event.
