Superclasico rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate prepare to meetIf anything, it's come too soon. Every meeting between Boca Juniors and River Plate is played in a pressure-cooker atmosphere but one of world football's most intense rivalries definitely kicked up a notch after last year's Copa Libertadores final. That was when we witnessed shameful scenes ahead of the second leg when the Boca team bus was attacked en route to River's Estadio Monumental, causing injuries to several players and the match's relocation 6, 000 miles to Madrid on safety grounds.
But Boca vs River is an enmity so entrenched that the word 'Clasico' doesn't do it justice. It is more than that, it is the 'Superclasico'. Because over two-thirds of people in Argentina support either River or Boca, it is the footballing fault line that divides not only the capital city but the country. A fleet of police riders escort the Boca Juniors team bus to the Monumental ahead of the team's league meeting this month River fans mark their victory over Boca in the Copa Libertadores final with a coffin banner in the colours of their rival Despite the colour and passion in the stands at the Estadio Monumental, the derby match on September 1 ended goallessLike so many rivalries in world football, the Superclasico is based on geography and social class. But while the rivalry is often characterised as being between the people (Boca) and the bourgeoisie (River), both clubs actually diverged from the very same place.
CONMEBOL, South American football's governing body, decided three days later that the second leg would be played outside Argentina on safety grounds with Real Madrid's Bernabeu the venue chosen. When the game was eventually played on December 9, River defeated Boca 3-1 in extra time, winning the tie 5-3 on aggregate following the 2-2 first leg draw at Boca's Bombonera. The authorities are desperate to avoid a repeat of the violence this time round. A league fixture between these teams passed off without incident earlier this month, finish in a tense goalless draw.
The second leg was switched to Real Madrid's Bernabeu and River won the tie 5-3 on aggregate after extra time This led to wild scenes of celebration back home in Buenos Aires as River celebrated their fourth Copa Libertadores River fans packed the Plaza de la Republica in Buenos Aires to celebrate all night after they defeated their rivals BocaFor the first time - and this decision was taken before last year's carnage - the final will be played over one leg at a neutral venue. This year it is the Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Chile.
Both origins can be traced to La Boca, the working-class dockland area of Buenos Aires, where Club Atletico River Plate was formed in 1901 and Club Atletico Boca Juniors in 1905. River came about through the merger of two existing clubs, the name being the English word for Rio de la Plata, the enormous estuary that divides Argentina and Uruguay. Boca was formed by a group of Italian immigrants and they adopted their blue and yellow from the Swedish flag on a vessel that happened to sail by on the morning they decided on their colours. The first official meeting of the teams was on August 24, 1913 - River won the match 2-1 - and a lasting rivalry was born. Every possible vantage point is taken by a swarm of River Plate supporters to watch a Superclasico at the Monumental Supporters of Boca scramble for the best view as ticker tape rains down on them from above ahead of a Superclasico in 2004 It is a match to stir the passions of players on both sides of the divide - not to mention the millions who support the two clubsBut it only really intensified in the 1920s when River relocated from the docklands to the affluent neighbourhoods of Recoleta and then Belgrano in the north of the city.
But again the stakes will be enormous. Boca have heard plenty of bragging in the past 10 months after what was billed as the 'Final to end all finals' and will be desperate to take their revenge. The second leg at the Bombonera takes place on October 22 and the winners will face one of the Brazilian pair of Gremio or Flamengo in the final next month.
Superclasico rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate are set to meet in the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores, just 10 months after chaos before the second leg of the competition's final when River supporters attacked the Boca team bus There were clashes between River fans and riot police after the second leg of last year's Copa Libertadores was suspended The Boca team bus, seen here leaving their stadium en route to River's last November, was attacked with bottles and missiles Windows were smashes by the projectiles with players injured by flying glass and inhaling tear gas fired by riot policeJust 10 months on and tensions have hardly eased as these two fierce foes prepare to meet again in the semi-finals of the same competition.
River fans detained by police following their role in the shocking scenes of violence before the final last November River fans fought running battles with riot police after the second leg of the final was postponed after the bus attack Boca player Pablo Perez suffered an eye injury as the result of flying glass when the windows of the bus were smashed Copa Libertadores semi-finals FIRST LEGOctober 1River Plate vs Boca JuniorsEstadio Monumental(Kick-off 1. 30am UK time on Wednesday October 2)SECOND LEGOctober 22Boca Juniors vs River PlateLa Bombonera(Kick-off 1. 30am UK time on Oct 23) With the stadium already packed inside, kick-off was repeatedly pushed back as the Boca players were patched up before eventually being postponed with police admitting they couldn't guarantee the safety of the team.