Copa Libertadores Final: River Plate & Boca Juniors united in rejecting Madrid tie
The Copa Libertadores final remains in doubt, with both River Plate and Boca Juniors objecting to the staging of the rearranged second leg at Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium.
The governing body of South American football CONMEBOL announced this week that the game, which was postponed twice after River Plate fans attacked a bus carrying Boca players, will be played outside of Argentina, with the Bernabeu in Madrid selected as the venue for the rearranged second leg on December 9.
READ MORE: Copa Libertadores final 2nd leg to be held at Real Madrid's Bernabeu
But the choice of the La Liga stadium has not gone down well with the two clubs.
River has issued an objection to losing out on the home-field advantage of playing the game in their Monumental stadium, saying their fans did not deserve to miss out on watching the final.
River issued a statement, saying: "Club Atletico River Plate informs that it will make the legal proposals and the pertinent appeals in relation to the decisions of the South American Football Confederation [CONMEBOL] and its Disciplinary Court, in relation to the change of venue arranged on the final match of the Copa Libertadores 2018, the economic sanction and the prohibition to dispute with audience two official parties organised by CONMEBOL."
The statement continued, calling it "incomprehensible" that the match could not be played in Argentina, saying "the change of venue and decision distorts the competition, harms those who acquired a ticket and affects the equality of conditions."
An official statement from Boca, meanwhile, objects to the playing of the game in any venue.
READ MORE: Boca Juniors refuse to play Copa Libertadores final, demand River Plate disqualification
Boca's call to be awarded the win via River's disqualification has been rejected by CONMEBOL, but the club has maintained its stance, and issued a statement saying it would "exhaust all the ways and means available to ensure that justice is served."
The final is delicately poised after the two teams drew 2-2 in the first leg at Boca's La Bombonera stadium on November 11.
But with a little over a week to go before the rearranged second leg is scheduled to be played, there is much for CONMEBOL to do in order to get both clubs on side and to get the match played.
