The Copa Libertadores final was plagued by violence and controversy
River Plate fans were burning shirts
The Copa Libertadores final was subject to unruly violence
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The Copa Libertadores, the pinnacle of club football in South America, is set for its 2025 final tonight (9pm KO GMT).
MEN Sport delves into the history of one of the most fiercely contested trophies in global football. In 2018, the second leg of the final between Boca Juniors and River Plate was hailed as the biggest club match in the 127-year history of Argentine football.
Following a 2-2 draw in the first leg at Boca's home ground, Estadio Alberto José Armando, the second leg was scheduled to take place at River Plate's Estadio Monumental - the largest stadium in South America, on November 24.
However, the build-up to the match spiralled into chaos and violence when the Boca team bus was attacked by River fans who threw objects at the bus windows, resulting in Boca players suffering cuts from the shattered glass.
Players were also affected by the tear gas used by police to disperse the crowds that had gathered in the streets. Former Manchester City and Manchester United star Carlos Tevez was also impacted by the attacks, reportedly suffering from dizziness and vomiting.
Boca Juniors midfielder Pablo Perez and defender Leonardo Balerdi were seen wearing eye patches as they entered the stadium. After the kick-off time was twice delayed due to the unrest, the decision was made to postpone the match and reschedule it for December 9.
The Boca Juniors team bus was viciously attacked by River Plate fans
The Boca Juniors team bus was viciously attacked by River Plate fans
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Before the tie was postponed, three-time Premier League champion Tevez stated: "Pablo has just returned from hospital and has a bandage on his eye. Other team-mates have cuts. We've only just been able to breathe well because we were affected by the gas. We can't play like this."
The chaos resulted in the second leg being relocated to Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu, over 6,000 miles away from River's home ground. Despite the fixture no longer taking place in South America, both sets of supporters were allocated an equal number of tickets.
Horacio Rodriguez Larreta, who was Buenos Aires' mayor at the time, lambasted the River Plate hooligans, labelling them as the "mafia of Argentine soccer" and accusing them of orchestrating the attack. The disorder led to River Plate being hit with a fine of £312,734.
Riot police were on the street to disperse the unruly crowd
Riot police were on the street to disperse the unruly crowd
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The final in Madrid went into extra time after the two teams ended the 90 minutes tied at 1-1. River seized the opportunity, with late goals from Juan Fernando Quintero and Pity Martinez securing a 3-1 victory on the night, and a 5-3 aggregate win, earning River their fourth Copa Libertadores title.
Since that incident, the final has been contested over a single leg instead of two, and is always held at a neutral venue. This year's edition of the final will take place on Saturday at the Estadio Monumental, but it won't be River competing; instead, it'll be an all-Brazilian showdown between Palmeiras and Flamengo.