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Copa Libertadores 2018 (w/2nd Leg of the Final now in Madrid)

Napoleon

By Napoleon
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Napoleon

Napoleon 8709

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I searched for a thread on the Copa Libertadores and there wasn't one, but when the 2nd leg of the 2 leg final between the two biggest rivals in the western hemisphere was postponed due to rocks smashing the windows of Boca Jr's team bus and then the players getting overwhelmed with the tear gas that the cops shot at the rioters, well...

Shit needed to be postponed and now...

NEW SHIT HAS COME TO LIGHT, MAN.

Copa Libertadores: River Plate v Boca Juniors moved to Bernabeu in Madrid

The second leg of the Copa Libertadores final between Boca Juniors and River Plate has been moved more than 6,000 miles away to the Bernabeu in Madrid.

The Buenos Aires derby was postponed last weekend, following an attack on the Boca team bus by River Plate fans.

Boca players suffered cuts from the glass from broken windows and were also affected by the tear gas used by police to disperse the crowds.

The match will now take place on Sunday, 9 December (19:30 GMT). 

The Copa Libertadores is the showpiece club competition in South America, equivalent to the Champions League in Europe. 

Both sets of supporters will be given an equal allocation of tickets for the match in the Spanish capital.

Conmebol, South American football's governing body, rejected Boca's appeal to be awarded the trophy without playing.

The fixture had been poised to be the biggest club match in the 127-year history of Argentine football, and the first leg ended 2-2.

But it was marred by the attack which led to a number of players, including Boca's former Manchester City, Manchester United and Juventus striker.

Carlos Tevez reportedly suffering from dizziness and vomiting and being treated by club doctors.

The mayor of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodriguez Larreta, said River Plate hooligans described as the "mafia of Argentine soccer" were behind the attack.

It came a day after police raided the house of a leader of the Barra Brava - the powerful and violent wing of River's hardcore support - and confiscated 10m pesos (£207,285) and 300 tickets for the final.

River Plate have been fined £312,734 on account of the violence, and the prime minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, has since tweeted: "Spain is ready to organise the final of the Copa Libertadores between Boca Juniors and River Plate. 

"The security forces have extensive experience of these situations and are already working on the necessary deployments to ensure the event is secure."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46392340

Article in Spanish (from an Argentine newspaper): https://www.clarin.com/deportes/futbol/gran-final-sudamerica-jugara-espana-boca-river-protesten_0_64xfbNexP.html

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immamac

immamac 43369

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A member of my team at work lives 2 blocks from the stadium and is a hardcore River Plate fan. He's been disgusted by this and is really bummed he can't go to the game with his kids now. 

Insane shit, Boca players interviewed didn't want to play in the game because they feared if they won they would be killed or mauled by the fans. 

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Napoleon

Napoleon 8709

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6 hours ago, immamac said:

A member of my team at work lives 2 blocks from the stadium and is a hardcore River Plate fan. He's been disgusted by this and is really bummed he can't go to the game with his kids now. 

Insane shit, Boca players interviewed didn't want to play in the game because they feared if they won they would be killed or mauled by the fans. 


Bummer for your team member.

I can't imagine living within 2 blocks of River, but then again, soccer matches are only held 30-40 times a year (between league, Copa Libertadores, national team matches, Argentine Cup) and then probably about 5 concerts... but it is like your neighborhood being flooded 40+ days each year, but with people instead of with water. That being said, as my friend Julia Kumari points out in her PRI radio report (also written out in the link to follow about choosing a soccer club while she lived in Buenos Aires about 10 years ago), River Plate (and Boca) is more than just a soccer team. River Plate is a multifaceted social club with all of the activities that you would expect out of a Neighborhood Recreation Center & Country Club (but without the golf course). There are actually horse stables and a horse jumping training area on the grounds, so living close would be very convenient for a family looking for activities for their kids.  

ARTICLE IN ENGLISH ABOUT RIVER PLATE SOCIAL CLUB: https://www.pri.org/stories/2010-09-06/boca-vs-river-culture-soccer-argentina
 

PODCAST IN ENGLISH ABOUT THE QUILOMBO: My friend Sam Kelly, who regularly contributes article to ESPN about Argentine football/ Argentine managers (domestic & abroad)/ AFA/ and all things related to Argentina when it comes to kicking a round ball for sport, has a great podcast named "The Hand of Pod". Here is yesterday's rundown on CONMEBOL's decision and what it means for all involved...

 

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GSU&UT

GSU&UT 1798

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Seen more than one person on Twitter speculating that a lot of the good, but not Euro good, young players in South America are going to head to MLS more and more because of frequent shit like this. For those of y'all who follow these leagues more closely, is that happening or has a chance of happening?

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Napoleon

Napoleon 8709

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55 minutes ago, GSU&UT said:

Seen more than one person on Twitter speculating that a lot of the good, but not Euro good, young players in South America are going to head to MLS more and more because of frequent shit like this. For those of y'all who follow these leagues more closely, is that happening or has a chance of happening?

The MLS is already dripping with #10s from Argentina. Dallas sold Diaz to Saudi Arabia or Qatar or something, but if you look at the #10 on each roster, about 1/3 of the league's #10s were from Argentina in the 2017 season. (Don't know if it is the same in 2018.)

Portland's Diego Valeri (who actually wears #8) scored the Timbers' 2nd & 3rd goals vs Sporting Kansas City to put them through to the final, but nearly every team has at least one offensive player from Argentina, though they're not always "young". Some are late 20s, some are in their 30s, but from the money to the general lack of crime, to the stability of the currency, to the respectful attitudes of the fans, playing in the MLS can be an attractive stepping stone onto Europe or it can be a nice landing pad when returning from Europe (or even once it becomes apparent that Europe is never going to calling and they want a payday and a "move").

2016 MLS Season: 26 Argies w/only 8 having "defensive" or "back" in their position description
2017 MLS Season: 23 Argies w/only 6 having "defensive" or "back" in their position description
2018 MLS Season: 25 Argies w/only 7 having "defensive" or "back" in their position description

The country is notoriously financially unstable and after having an artificially strong currency in the '90s, that all came crashing down around December 19th & 20th, 2001 and there was a diaspora of players to other countries. The European based players paid the national team's expenses to the 2002 World Cup in Japan/S. Korea... where they were one of the favorites and yet didn't make it out of their group. Selling soccer players abroad is one of Argentina's largest exports.

The shit that happened with the bus was more than ever happens when the two teams play each other each season, but violence is so prevalent at games between rivals that "The Big 5"- River Plate, Boca Jrs, Racing, Independiente, and San Lorenzo (the Pope's team) are not allowed to have a section anymore for visiting fans. I could go on, but I've already written too much.

If the MLS keeps paying higher wages AND they sell players on to European teams (rather than holding them and refusing to sell), then the MLS will continue to gain popularity as a weigh station on a player's path to the big money in Europe.

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Napoleon

Napoleon 8709

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2 hours ago, Kringelbert Fishtybuns said:

I assume that this is posturing, but maybe this one is a no go.

Link

I don’t know, I could see them saying “Fuck the 2nd leg unless we host a home match in Argentina. If not, we win on road goals so fuck you, give us the fucking trophy bitches!”

It’s Argentina. 

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Napoleon

Napoleon 8709

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Well, it looks like the 2nd leg of the Copa Libertadores will actually be played this Sunday in Madrid. (Until both teams fly out of Buenos Aires, you never really know, but I don't think that either team will arrive in Madrid and then decide not to play.)

And it looks like the game might turn into Must See Fútbol for top players who don't have a Sunday game. This article from one of Argentina's two main newspapers, Clarin, states that Lionel Messi is definitely going to attend and he's invited Cristiano Ronaldo to join him, but CR7 hasn't confirmed because his exit from Real Madrid is still a touchy subject. But with so many other Argentines (and even Brazilians & Chileans) in Europe who have either played for or against River & Boca and/or in the Copa Libertadores, I could see the audience being about as star studded as FIFA's Ballon d'Or ceremony.

From The Google Translates...

They do not want to miss it

River-Boca: the final of the Copa Libertadores could unite Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

In Spain they assure that the Argentine already confirmed presence and that they are trying to convince the Portuguese to return to the merengue house as a spectator.

BJHlXTG_Q_1256x620__1.jpg

Cristiano Ronaldo looks at Lionel Messi in the last classic between Real Madrid and Barcelona that they faced. (AFP)

While the River-Boca in Madrid generates more rejections than flattery on this side of the planet, in Europe they are happy to host the Copa Libertadores final and many lovers and protagonists of football do not want to miss it. Such will be the case of the two highest figures of football in recent years: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

According to the press in Spain, La Pulga would have confirmed its presence in the Santiago Bernabéu stadium to the Spanish Federation. "He has extended the invitation to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has not yet confirmed," wrote sports daily As.

If the Portuguese finally attend the game would be his return to the merengue house after his departure from Real Madrid. " It is not easy because the relationship with the club was touched after his departure to Juventus, " assure sources close to CR7.

"I would be delighted to attend the match, to accept the invitation of the Federation and to share a match with Messi from the rostrum, but the wounds are not yet completely closed ," they concluded.

Meanwhile, from the Federation say that "the presence of Cristiano with Messi would be a great message for football, in addition to putting each of these two players in the place that corresponds to them." Barcelona will play for the league on Saturday against Espanyol, while Vecchia Signora will play against Inter on Friday.

According to the local dam, the Argentine will travel to Madrid on Sunday morning, while the Portuguese would take advantage of the opportunity to spend the weekend in Madrid.

 

Google Translates link: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.clarin.com%2Fdeportes%2Ffutbol%2Friver-boca-final-copa-libertadores-podria-unir-lionel-messi-cristiano-ronaldo_0_KNcnwB-cK.html

Original Clarin article in Spanish: https://www.clarin.com/deportes/futbol/river-boca-final-copa-libertadores-podria-unir-lionel-messi-cristiano-ronaldo_0_KNcnwB-cK.html

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Firemans4Horn

Firemans4Horn 18186

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I went to a River-Boca pre-season match in Mar de Plata 10 years ago where they split the stadium in half like the Cotton bowl during Texas-Ou. Biggest difference being the 300 Swat type officers dividing the 2 sections. I was in the Boca section and it still is one of the craziest events I’ve ever been to. 

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Hagbard Celine

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30 minutes ago, texas08 said:

Do yourself a favor and watch the game on fox deportes if you can

The fox commentators are 1000 times better than cantor

yeah, but cantor IS color.  now that plate has levelled, i'm here for the boca winner which causes cantor to literally spontaneously combust on-air.  real human combustion on live television.

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