Boca Juniors have appealed the decision made by the Conmebol governing body to kick the club out of this year’s Copa Libertadores, in the hope of a quick ruling that would allow them to play the final 45 minutes of the last-16 tie against River Plate.
Last Thursday’s Superclásico in the Bombonera ended in scandal at half-time when several River players were attacked with a home-made pepper spray substance as they came out onto the pitch. The Millonarios were 1-0 up in the tie, having prevailed by that score in the first leg.
«We are not optimistic because there are a lot of interests outside the clubs, commercial ones, tickets are already being sold,» Boca president Daniel Angelici told La Red, while insisting that the club’s punishment was unjustified and unprecedented.
«There are no previous examples of a team’s exclusion for one specific act.»
Brazilian lawyer Eduardo Carlezzo, meanwhile, representing the Xeneize in the case, assured that the Conmebol Court of Appeals for disciplinary matters promised a ruling on the petition by early tomorrow morning.
«We have been playing within the rules because we do not want to escape our responsibilities, we know that tough sanctions have been applied but it is not right to stop us playing,» he signalled.
«[Boca] are seeking proportion in the punishment,» the lawyer added, stating that the club had already suffered «four tough punishments and the death sentence is elimination.»
Alberto Lozada Añez, Bolivia’s representative on the Conmebol appeals board, threw Boca a possible lifeline by opining that River’s scheduled Libertadores quarter-final match against Cruzeiro of Brazil should not go ahead this Thursday.
«My advice is for River-Cruzeiro to not be played until Conmebol resolves Boca’s appeal,» the official said, while opining that the punishment «was pretty heavy, just like the damage barra bravas have done to the club.»
Source: Buenos Aires Herald