BOCA JUNIORS WILL refuse to play any matches until they are awarded the Copa Libertadores title, the club’s president Daniel Angelici has confirmed.
CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez announced the second leg of the final – postponed after the Boca team bus was attacked before Saturday’s game – will be played outside of Argentina on either 8 or 9 December.
No set date or venue has been confirmed but Boca, whose players suffered injuries in the attack, will not play a rescheduled final according to Angelici.
“Boca listened carefully to the president’s words,” Angelici told reporters. “We have decided to submit a request for disqualification to River.
“Today we expand the petition with 46 more pages, with videos, photos and evidence. Now the Disciplinary Tribunal has to answer.
“I hope that the court gives its answer with reasons. We are not willing to play any matches until the court decides. We believe that there are reasons to attend our request.
If the court decision is negative, we will see if the reasons are strong. If they are not, we will appeal to the Chamber of Appeals of CONMEBOL.
“The rescheduling of the game is a decision of the CONMEBOL Executive Committee, not the Disciplinary Tribunal. We want them to adhere to the law, we believe that within CONMEBOL there are precedents for the request of Boca to be received positively.
“I have the duty and the obligation to defend Boca. It is a very serious fact, it is not about waiting for someone to die to make decisions. River have had many sanctions during this Copa Libertadores. Boca is going to exhaust all administrative instances.
“Today the one with the power of decision is the Disciplinary and Sanctions Tribunal. I am not satisfied with having set a date for the match, but it is the responsibility of the Executive Committee. We don’t have our minds on playing the final.”
River Plate president Rodolfo D’Onofrio suggested he had been given assurances by Argentina’s president Mauricio Macri – previously Boca’s president – that the final would be played at his team’s El Monumental stadium.
An advisor very close to Macri told me that the government would give us the guarantees and security to play in River,” D’Onofrio said to Radio La Red.
“The talks with Angelici were cordial. Everyone has their position. I have it clear, this game has to be played, because River are not guilty of anything. Here what failed was the police.
“More than hurt, I was surprised by Angelici’s move. I was surprised that they presented the disqualification request overnight.”
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