Copa Libertadores Final 2nd Leg Rescheduled, to Be Played Outside Argentina
Argentina's biggest game won't wind up taking place in Argentina–if it takes place at all.
The postponed Copa Libertadores final second leg between bitter Buenos Aires rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate is now slated to take place the weekend of Dec. 8-9 in a location to be determined outside of Argentina, CONMEBOL authorities determined on Tuesday. Boca Juniors, however, has written to CONMEBOL asking the South American confederation to call off the second leg altogether, disqualify River Plate and award the title to Boca, further complicating matters as the fate of the continental championship hangs in the balance.
The second leg, which was supposed to be played Saturday at River Plate's El Monumental, was postponed twice after attacks on Boca Juniors' team bus as it approached the stadium left players with various ailments and the club unsettled. At first, the match was going to be played as scheduled, in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, before authorities came to their senses and pushed it a day. Boca Juniors requested a further postponement of the match a day later, and even though River Plate opened its stadium and had fans begin to trickle in, CONMEBOL authorities ultimately obliged and indefinitely pushed the final leg.
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The second leg of the final, if it were to be played at all, needed to be played with enough leeway before the FIFA Club World Cup kicks off in the United Arab Emirates on Dec. 12. The Copa Libertadores determines South America's entrant–though that side won't play its first game until the semifinals on Dec. 18.
Boca and River played to a 2-2 draw in the first leg at Boca's La Bombonera in a match that was also delayed, but due to weather conditions.
