Armed police fire rubber bullets and throw tear gas at Boca Juniors fans on Copacabana beach as Copa Libertadores final faces being forced behind closed doors after 100,000 Argentines flocked to Rio
- Boca Juniors fans have travelled in their masses to Rio de Janeiro for the final
- Fluminense have never won the competition while Boca have won six trophies
- Big debates on Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal on It’s All Kicking Off podcast
The Copa Libertadores final is now at risk of being played behind closed doors, after Brazilian police were seen firing rubber bullets at Boca Junior fans on Copacabana beach.
The final of South American club football’s premier competition is set to be played at 8pm Saturday night BST, at the iconic Maracana stadium between Fluminense and Boca Juniors.
Despite Fluminense being Rio-based, there has been a huge influx of Boca fans with some 100,000 Xeneize supporters overrunning the Brazilian city in the build-up to the clash, hoping to see their side win a seventh Copa Libertadores title.
As a result there have been clashes between the two factions in the city, with one mass brawl believed to have broken out on the Copacabana beach on Thursday, which saw police called to the scene.
Boca fans are thought to have been using the iconic beach as a fan zone, and had congregated en masse, and appeared to be enjoying the atmosphere ahead of the game.
Armed police descended on the Copacabana beach and were seen throwing tear gas and firing rubber bullets
Boca Juniors fans have traveled to Rio de Janeiro en masse with around 100,000 supporters thought to be in the city
A fight broke out between Boca Juniors and Fluminense fans on Copacabana Beach, according to reports
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With such a large number of visiting fans, it is perhaps natural to anticipate certain frictions arising between the two, but Fluminense fans are thought to have sought out confrontation with their rivals at the beach.
Argentinian outlet Ole reports that Boca fans were ‘ambushed, chased, attacked and had their belongings stolen’ by Flu supporters.
However things seemed to escalate quickly, with armed police arriving on the scene, only to be caught on video firing rubber bullets into the crowd of Boca fans.
Police were also seen wielding batons and striking at fans as they ran onto the beach and into the crowds.
As such, there had been concerns that the match would be played behind closed doors to prevent any further violence between fans, as well as suggestions that the final could even be delayed.
Argentinian journalist Martin Souto wrote on X: ‘The match (will be) played. But CONMEBOL is considering the possibility of it being played behind closed doors.
‘I imagine that with the intention of lowering the rates of violence. A controversial decision because with good security organization nothing should have happened.’
CONMEBOL themselves – the governing body for South American football – released a statement condemning the violence between fan groups, as well as issuing a call for supporters to ‘share together the moments of joy and celebration’.
The iconic Maracana stadium can seat around 78,000 fans and is the home ground of Fluminense
There are thought to have been 20 flights a day from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro in the build up to the final
The Maracana will only see around 20,000 ticket-holding Boca fans cheer their team on on Saturday
‘Conmebol calls on the fans of Boca Juniors and Fluminense to share together the moments of joy and celebration that our football gives us,’ it said.
‘The values of the sport we are most passionate about should inspire peaceful and harmonious behaviour.
‘We therefore repudiate any acts of violence and racism that may occur in the context of the final.’
The Argentinian club’s supporters are thought to have traveled to Brazil via a combination of coaches and planes.
A convoy of some 105 buses is thought to have left Buenos Aires on the day-and-a-half 2,670km journey, while 1,000 private cars will make the journey.
Meanwhile around 20 planes a day are thought to have flown from the principle airports in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro (Ezeiza and Galeao).
While so many fans have made the trip, there are only thought to be around 20,000 tickets available to visitors, plus an additional 3,000 VIPS.
However, there will be an approximate 10,000 Flamengo fans – bitter cross-town rivals of Fluminense – in attendance, who would likely be cheering on the Argentinian giants.
With so many Boca fans in attendance, concerns have arisen over where those without tickets will stay during the game.
Edinson Cavani (centre) could feature for Boca, who are looking to win their seventh title
Marcelo, meanwhile, is likely to play for Fluminense in the game in his homeland of Brazil
The Copacabana – the previous fanzone – appears to no longer be a feasible option, considering the attacks.
Other locations reportedly being considered are the Sambodromo, where the annual carnival celebrations take place.
Sambodromo was the base for Argentina fans during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and has a capacity for 60,000 supporters.
The game will see the likes of Edinson Cavani and Sergio Romero (Boca) and Marcelo (Fluminense) face off in the battle for the title.
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