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Post by rugbytoffee on Nov 25, 2018 16:50:49 GMT
 FIFPro has thrown its support behind Boca Juniors and said they should not have faced pressure to play Saturday's postponed second leg of the Copa Libertadores final against River Plate. Boca travelled across Buenos Aires on Saturday with the final tied at 2-2 after the opening game at La Bombonera, but their bus was showered with projectiles on the way to River's El Monumental stadium, with some smashing windows of the vehicle. Eventually the bus arrived at the ground, but reports suggested three players had to be taken to hospital for assessment, while some were believed to have been affected by the use of pepper spray. CONMEBOL medical officials had deemed the injuries sustained to be "superficial" and approved the match to proceed despite Carlos Tevez's protests that Boca were unfit to play. After discussions that led to several delays, the game was eventually suspended for 24 hours until 17:00 local time (20:00 GMT) on Sunday. FIFPro – which represents more than 65,000 footballers worldwide – has backed Boca's stance in wanting the game rescheduled. Posting on Twitter, the organisation said: "Our solidarity with Carlos Tevez and Boca Juniors players who should not have been pressured by organisers to play before yesterday's Copa Libertadores final was postponed. Player health and well-being comes first." |
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Post by rugbytoffee on Nov 26, 2018 15:09:03 GMT
Saturday's Copa Libertadores final was supposed to be the 'final to end all finals'. In unique circumstances, Boca Juniors and River Plate were set to meet in the last ever final of the competition played in a home and away format. But it never happened.
Violence swept the streets as emotions overspilled, and Argentina exposed the dark side of its football fandom to the world. The Boca bus was attacked, leaving the players in no fit state to play. Ultimately, the River fans who stepped over the line prevented the team they claim to love more than life itself from winning the most prestigious South American trophy. They may still, but the occasion will not be the same.
Videos of fans outside El Monumental flooded social media, with one standing out like a sore thumb. That video showed a mother and daughter, dressed head to toe in River gear, strapping flares to the daughter's body, in order to sneak them into the stadium undetected.
European fans on social media gasped in awe at the lengths that fans would go to, the rules they were willing to break, in order to generate a bit more atmosphere.
The mother in the video has now been arrested, as reported by AS. She will be tried by the courts and is expected to face a prison sentence of between two and six years.
The lead prosecutor, Adriana Bellavigna, has taken charge of the case and begun the investigation with the city of Buenos Aires' Judicial Investigation Body.
Using specialised software and with detailed reviews of social network activity, they were able to identify the woman - with the watch on her wrist being a key factor in identifying her.
CONMEBOL and local authorities are currently trying to find a date that the second leg of the final can be played, but with a G20 summit arriving in Buenos Aires this week, time, space and resources are limited.
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