River-Boca: El Monumental stadium closure lifted
The rescheduled Copa Libertadores final will take place on Sunday after River Plate paid fines relating to excess capacity at El Monumental.
The postponed Copa Libertadores final second leg game between River Plate and Boca Juniors has been given the green light to go ahead on Sunday after Los Millonarios paid fines levied by the Government Control Agency (AGC) of Buenos Aires relating to overcrowding at El Monumental a day earlier, it has been confirmed.
River were fined by the AGC, which is part of the justice and security department of the Argentinean capital, after capacity at El Monumental was exceeded on Saturday when an undisclosed number of River fans managed to evade security and gain entry to the stadium without tickets. Boca fans were prevented from attending due to a blanket ban on away supporters in Argentina.
According to the AGC, the reasons for the stadium closure were “an excess in capacity that also led to the blockage of emergency exits.” As the infraction does not involve the need for any improvements to the stadium, the AGC added, “the fine has been paid and the temporary closure order lifted.”
Copa Libertadores final postponed after Boca team bus attack
Saturday’s game was postponed after the Boca team bus was attacked en route to El Monumental, leading to three of the side’s players requiring hospital treatment. It has been rescheduled for Sunday at 17:00 local time (21:00 CET).
Buenos Aires police confiscated 300 tickets that had been acquired on the illegal resale market in the days leading up to the game and are currently investigating any links between those tickets and the disturbances that took place around El Monumental in the hours before the match.