Will this final ever be concluded?
The second leg of the Copa Libertadores final between River Plate and Boca Juniors has been called off for the second time this weekend.
The match was originally set for Saturday but was cancelled following violent clashes that saw Boca’s team bus attacked and their captain injured.
Now, the Guardian report that the final is officially off once more, with CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez declaring that the “equal” conditions Boca had demanded in a statement could not be guaranteed.
There is no indication as to when, or if, the game will be replayed.
Boca Juniors previously asked CONMEBOL to suspend the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final on Sunday afternoon.
Comunicado de prensa | El Club Atlético Boca Juniors realizó este domingo una presentación formal ante la Conmebol para solicitar que la final de la Copa Libertadores se juegue en condiciones de igualdad, tal como se firmó ayer en el Estadio Monumental. 👉 https://t.co/Ym4UTeFlxy pic.twitter.com/s2KGK86zPi
— Boca Juniors (@BocaJrsOficial) November 25, 2018
On Saturday, the game between Boca and their arch rivals River Plate was suspended after violence aimed at the Boca team bus left members of their squad unable to play.
Carlos Tevez was the worst affected by tear gas, wile captain Pablo Perez was taken to hospital to have a shard of glass taken out of his eye.
In a press release, Boca Juniors said:
“Club Atlético Boca Juniors has made a formal presentation to Conmebol to request that the final of the Copa Libertadores be played in fair conditions, as agreed by the presidents of the South American entity of Boca and River.
“Yesterday afternoon, Boca Juniors requested to postpone the match due to the incidents and it was established as a priority that the game is played under fair conditions.
“After the acts of violence suffered in the vicinity of the stadium, having noted the magnitude and seriousness of them and the consequences they have generated in the establishment, Boca considers that these conditions are not met and requests the suspension of the match, as well as the application of the corresponding sanctions provided for in Article 18, so that Conmebol acts accordingly.”
In the end, their request was granted.
This messy scenario has cast a negative light on what should have been the most historic Superclásico and the most historic Copa Libertadores final of all time.
It still will be – if it ever goes ahead – but for the wrong reasons.
