• Boca Juniors' fans cheer as their team heads on to Spain. Reuters
    Boca Juniors' fans cheer as their team heads on to Spain. Reuters
  • Boca Juniors fans rally near La Bombonera stadium, in Buenos Aires. EPA
    Boca Juniors fans rally near La Bombonera stadium, in Buenos Aires. EPA
  • Boca Juniors are travelling to Madrid, Spain, to play the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final against River Plate. EPA
    Boca Juniors are travelling to Madrid, Spain, to play the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final against River Plate. EPA
  • Boca fans light a flare. EPA
    Boca fans light a flare. EPA
  • Supporters of Boca Juniors gather at Lezama park in Buenos Aires. AFP
    Supporters of Boca Juniors gather at Lezama park in Buenos Aires. AFP
  • A band plays as supporters of Boca Juniors gather at Lezama park to cheer for their team before their trip to Madrid. AFP
    A band plays as supporters of Boca Juniors gather at Lezama park to cheer for their team before their trip to Madrid. AFP
  • A bus transporting Boca Juniors players is received by fans near the La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires. EPA
    A bus transporting Boca Juniors players is received by fans near the La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires. EPA
  • Boca Juniors' fans cheer. Reuters
    Boca Juniors' fans cheer. Reuters
  • Aerial view of fans of Boca Juniors during a gathering to bid farewell to their players at Plaza Lezama in Buenos Aires. Getty Images
    Aerial view of fans of Boca Juniors during a gathering to bid farewell to their players at Plaza Lezama in Buenos Aires. Getty Images
  • Boca Juniors during a gathering to bid farewell to their players at Plaza Lezama. Getty Images
    Boca Juniors during a gathering to bid farewell to their players at Plaza Lezama. Getty Images

Football

Copa Libertadores: Boca Juniors supporters give team send-off amid security threat - in pictures

Police probing threat as fans gather late on Tuesday night near stadium to wish players well before flight to Madrid, where they play final against River Plate

Bloomberg

December 05, 2018

  • English
  • Arabic

Police evacuated La Bombonera stadium, home to Argentina’s Boca Juniors club, hours before a rally to back the team as they prepare to play crosstown rival River Plate in Madrid for South America’s championship.

Police were still investigating the threat, La Nacion and Clarin reported, citing police. Fans gathered on late on Tuesday night near the stadium to wish the players well before their flight to Madrid on December 9.

Already one of football’s fiercest rivalries, the South American championship has been marred by delays and violence. President Mauricio Macri of Argentina called the attacks on players on November 24 a “national embarrassment” and pledged to crack down on hooligans.

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Read more:

Copa Libertadores: River Plate reject proposal to play Boca Juniors in Madrid

Hernan Crespo wants Copa Libertadores final must be played in Argentina

UAE ready to host Copa Libertadores final ahead of Fifa Club World Cup

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The Argentine league banned fans from visiting teams from attending matches that were not at their home club years ago. Macri is the former president of Boca.

The game was postponed on November 24 after River fans pelted the bus carrying Boca’s players, injuring the captain and breaking the vehicle’s windows. The replay was called off again on November 25 after the regional football body, Conmebol, said the conditions to play the game were not existent.

Conmebol decided that the game cannot be played in Argentina and set the match for December 9. River have said they are against the game being played abroad.