In case you suspected the drama surrounding this year's Copa Libertadores final had subsided with news that the match would be played in Madrid, it has since emerged that the River captain Leo Ponzio may not be available for selection.
Why not? Well, according to reports in the Spanish news outlet AS, Ponzio is a 'person of interest' in the country regarding match-fixing allegations that stretch back to his time with Real Zaragoza.
Dating back to a game against Levante in 2011, it is reported that River Plate's legal representatives are currently investigating the issue.
The trial is scheduled to begin in 2019, but it is uncertain whether the ban is in place until confirmation of that sentence.
— Daniel Edwards 💚 (@DanEdwardsGoal) November 30, 2018
The 36-year-old River captain enjoyed two spells with the Real Zaragoza in Spain. After moving there from Newell's Old Boys in 2003, a three-year spell preceded his first move to River Plate.
Spending the next two years with the Argentine club, Ponzio returned to Zaragoza for another three-year spell in 2009. Since 2012 Ponzio has been playing his club football with River Plate in Argentina. He has been capped eight times by the Argentine national team.
