The second leg of the Copa Libertadores final between River Plate and Boca Juniors was postponed for 24 hours on Saturday following an attack on the Boca team bus. River fans pelted the bus with missiles outside the Estadio Monumental, shattering windows and forcing tear gas inside. The match, initially delayed by an hour, was eventually called off at around 7.20pm local time after several further postponements.
Boca players were caught on video reacting to the first strikes, with midfielder Pablo Pérez turning away clutching his face. Carlos Tevez later said many players were coughing and felt like vomiting, while the bus driver fainted and a vice-president had to grab the wheel. Pérez was taken to hospital with an eye injury but was later declared fit to play by Conmebol medics.
Trouble continued as thousands of River fans breached security, allowing many without tickets to force their way into the stadium. Boca officials stated they were not in the right condition to play, with Tevez claiming they were being “obliged” despite being in no state to compete. The club’s president thanked River for supporting the postponement.
Speculation arose over pressure from the Argentine president Mauricio Macri, a former Boca president, who was due to host the G20 summit days later, though no confirmation was given. The eventual announcement was met with jeers and whistles from the 70,000 spectators inside the ground, but the crowd dispersed relatively calmly.
The damage to the spectacle and reputation of Argentine football had already been done, as what was billed as the derby to end all derbies descended into chaos. The postponed match now threatens to overshadow the final itself.
