After the second-leg of tonight's Copa Libertadores final was postponed in light of an attack on the visiting team's bus, River vs Boca Juniors is looking to be going ahead as planned. However, speaking before the delayed kick-off, Carlos Tevez has outlined the complex circumstances in which this conclusion has been reached.
With the game due to have started at 8:00pm Irish time, an unpleasant incident that saw the Boca Juniors bus attacked on its way into the ground resulted in numerous players suffering the after-effects of a tear-gas attack.
As a number of the visiting players required medical treatment, it had appeared that River vs Boca would surely not go ahead. However, with the stadium as good as packed full of River Plate fans long before the scheduled kick-off, it appears that the powers that be erred on the side of caution; the game would go ahead.
What a situation. If game called off, 70,000 River fans must leave stadium for game they badly want. If it goes ahead - as now looks likely - and Boca lose, there could be some potential fall-out.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) November 24, 2018
Having rejoined Boca Juniors, the former West Ham United, Manchester United and Manchester City man Tevez spoke to the media during the interim period.
According to Carlos Tevez, the Boca players are "not in condition to play," but have been "obliged" by the South American football federation to carry on as planned.
Furthermore, former Real Madrid and current Boca Juniors midfielder Fernando Gago confirmed as much; "The presidents of Conmebol and FIFA are who want us to play."
Tevez exact quote, as he first confirms to the families they’re fine, “it’s a situation where they’re obliging us to want to play”
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) November 24, 2018
A seemingly bizarre conclusion given the injuries sustained by only one half of the two teams involved, Tevez also reported that no River Plate players had come to speak to them in the aftermath of an attack carried out by a section of their fans.
Although it is as yet unconfirmed what time exactly kick-off is expected, it has been reported that the usual pre-match routines are already underway.
