Boca Juniors file appeal to be awarded Copa Libertadores title after River Plate fan violence

With the tie level at 2-2 after the first leg, the return fixture at River's Monumental stadium was twice postponed and is scheduled to take place in Madrid on Sunday

Boca Juniors filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) on Friday asking for the club to be awarded the Copa Libertadores after violence by River Plate fans forced the second leg of the final to be postponed, club sources have told Reuters.

Boca and River drew the first leg 2-2 on November 11 but the second leg at River's Monumental stadium was postponed after Boca players were hurt when their coach was attacked by River fans as it approached the ground.

The match is now scheduled to take place in Spain on Sunday at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

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Boca's move comes a day after the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) rejected a similar appeal to be awarded the trophy.

"We had 10 days to lodge our appeal with Cas but we did it the first day," the Boca official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

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River Plate fans in Madrid

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Boca based their appeal on a similar situation three years ago when they were kicked out of the Copa Libertadores, South America's top club competition, after their fans attacked River players with pepper spray at halftime during the first leg of their last 16 showdown.

The club now have several weeks in which to prepare their case, a second official told Reuters, also on condition of anonymity.

The official said the six-time Libertadores champions would continue with the appeal regardless of what happens in Sunday's match in Madrid.

The winner of the Copa Libertadores will claim the last remaining place at the Fifa Club World Cup in the UAE later this month.