| So what do we all think of the Copa Libertadores being played in Spain? 09:56 - Nov 30 with 1092 views | WarkTheWarkITFC |
Just to recap for those that haven't been following it ...
It's the South American version of the Champions League. Boca Juniors and River Plate, the two biggest clubs in Argentina and utterly deadly rivals, met in the final for the first time ever. The biggest derby between them in 127 years or so and we are talking numerous title deciders in that time too.
The first leg finished 2-2 at Boca's ground. The second leg was postponed last Saturday after River Plate fans attacked the Boca coach, injuring some of the players. It was hastily rearranged for the next day which Boca felt was an attempt to force them into playing the game when they were not fit to do so. That was postponed too. They are now moving it to Real Madrid and giving equal allocation to both sets of fans.
A good mate in Argentina says that the majority of the 'normal' fans are poorly paid working class men who have no chance of being able to buy a ticket, flight, hotel etc. It would be like 6 months wages for some of those that attend.
Part of the issue was 300 or so 'fans' seemingly acting on the instructions of a local crime boss who had £200k confiscated by Police the day before plus 300 tickets, some of which would have gone to the hooligan element that then caused the violence and others could have been sold for 4 or 5 figures due to the nature of the match.
Conveniently this match, which now has an unprecedented amount of interest will be in Europe, in the evening, at peak TV time for maximum monetisation no doubt for the rest of the world, the major hooligans seem to be very well off and will likely travel anyway and the majority of normal fans will miss out.
Can you imagine if the biggest match in our history, a Champions League final against Norwich, was moved to Brazil at a couple of weeks notice due to the action of a small set of fans.
Worth noting that this is the most mental tie in world football. Youtube it. The violence is like nothing else (probably only Turkey can come close) and the atmosphere is insane. But the feeling there is that of 50,000 or 60,000 fans, there are still only 500 or so intent on hurting people and the feeling is that genuine fans have been robbed of their dreams.
Some fans, on modest incomes, would have paid thousands for a ticket, many times above face value, and now have a ticket for a game that they cannot get to.
However, I cannot see the alternative? Anywhere else in Argentina would have the same issues? It's not realistic to expect the Police to arrest all 300 of the mafia and their associates, although you could argue this should happen but we all know why this isn't practical. So what really could have been done?
Genuinely stumped. Seems to me at first glance like a way of cashing in on the huge interest in Europe and Asia in this match now and the real fans have suffered heartbreak, Boca have been given a slight advantage (fairly you may argue after what happened to them) but it just seems a giant mess, where every outcome would have seemed wrong and it's down to the criminals / firm that have screwed everyone over. |  |
| |  |
| So what do we all think of the Copa Libertadores being played in Spain? on 09:58 - Nov 30 with 1079 views | chicoazul |
It is a bit odd but it seems there is no way this game could be played anywhere in Argentina or possibly even on the whole continent.
I'm just gutted we missed out on hosting it. Thanks, Evans. |  |
| |
| So what do we all think of the Copa Libertadores being played in Spain? on 10:08 - Nov 30 with 1056 views | Kieran_Knows |
Saw this on it last night as well.
|  |
| |
| So what do we all think of the Copa Libertadores being played in Spain? on 11:25 - Nov 30 with 1006 views | WarkTheWarkITFC |
| So what do we all think of the Copa Libertadores being played in Spain? on 09:58 - Nov 30 by chicoazul |
It is a bit odd but it seems there is no way this game could be played anywhere in Argentina or possibly even on the whole continent.
I'm just gutted we missed out on hosting it. Thanks, Evans. |
The thing for me is that if they play it at River anyway there will be violence. But there was violence last year and the year before and the year before and there always is.
However, they let the game go ahead. There is no suggestion there is going to be more violence as a result of what happened last week than there would have been anyway. There will be violence next season too.
So I don't see what they are trying to achieve. The attack seems, according to locals, to be direct retaliation to the police confiscating so much from the leader of the ultras the day before. So that's happened and it's seen there as having been and gone.
Whatever would happen in the rearranged game would happen now anyway. But they were happy to let that go ahead in the first place?
If River win then it'll be one incredible party. If they lose then there will be horrendous violence and clashes. This was known before the match was originally due to be played. So I can't see what has actually really changed. People there seem to expect less trouble now due to the increased security than probably would have occurred. | |
| |
| So what do we all think of the Copa Libertadores being played in Spain? on 12:35 - Nov 30 with 950 views | Ryorry |
Ridiculous from every point of view.
If the Argentinian authorities can't control their football fanatics (literally), then cancel games. The message would soon get across. |  |
| |
| So what do we all think of the Copa Libertadores being played in Spain? on 13:13 - Nov 30 with 918 views | 26_Paz |
Behind closed door in a stadium outside of the city? |  |
| |
| So what do we all think of the Copa Libertadores being played in Spain? on 13:17 - Nov 30 with 911 views | The_Last_Baron |
The game must be played at River Plate. Otherwise Boca have had an advantage.
If not, cancel the final and share the trophy. |  |
| |
| So what do we all think of the Copa Libertadores being played in Spain? on 13:29 - Nov 30 with 897 views | WarkTheWarkITFC |
| So what do we all think of the Copa Libertadores being played in Spain? on 13:17 - Nov 30 by The_Last_Baron |
The game must be played at River Plate. Otherwise Boca have had an advantage.
If not, cancel the final and share the trophy. |
It is estimated that something like 80% of all Argentinians support one of the two clubs, so everything right now is treated with suspicion because the police, politicians, likely everyone involved supports one of the teams involved!
Hence accusations being thrown at several key figures in this who just so happen to be Boca fans and get to play in a neutral stadium now with half their fans there as opposed to in the most hostile of atmospheres imaginable in their rivals stadium.
I can't understand why they would at least not have it in Madrid with most of the tickets going to River fans, to recreate the home advantage they should rightly have.
Something very sinister about all this. They could easily play the fixture at El Monumental. The violence (whilst horrific) is what they deal with in every single fixture and always have done. They had their own disaster years ago where loads of people died with both sets of fans blaming each other and the police, the police blaming the fans and so on.
This type of stuff happens in every single fixture, so it does smell of a decision taken by Boca fans in charge of security who couldn't get a walkover win awarded (according to my mate by the footballing authorities which are heavily influenced by River fans!). | |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
