CAS rejects Boca appeal to suspend Libertadores final
Soccer Football - River Plate fans ahead of the Copa Libertadores match between River Plate and Boca Juniors - Puerta del Sol Square, Madrid, Spain - December 8, 2018 River Plate fans ahead of the match REUTERS/Javier Barbancho
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Boca Juniors' last-minute attempt to suspend Sunday's Copa Libertadores final against River Plate was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Saturday, clearing the way for the decisive match to take place in Madrid.
Boca filed their appeal to sport's highest court on Friday after the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) rejected their claim that River Plate should be disqualified from the continent's equivalent of Europe's Champions League.
"The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed an urgent request for provisional measures filed yesterday by CA Boca Juniors in which it sought to suspend the second leg of the final of the Copa Libertadores," CAS said in a statement.
Soccer Football - River Plate fans ahead of the Copa Libertadores match between River Plate and Boca Juniors - Puerta del Sol Square, Madrid, Spain - December 8, 2018 River Plate fans ahead of the match REUTERS/Javier Barbancho
The organisation said it would nevertheless hear the merits of Boca’s appeal at an undisclosed later date.
Boca and River drew 2-2 in the first leg of the final on Nov. 11 but the second leg at River’s Monumental stadium was postponed after Boca players were hurt when their coach was attacked by River fans as it approached the ground.
The second leg is scheduled to take place at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Sunday.
Soccer Football - River Plate fans ahead of the Copa Libertadores match between River Plate and Boca Juniors - Puerta del Sol Square, Madrid, Spain - December 8, 2018 River Plate fans ahead of the match REUTERS/Javier Barbancho
(Reporting by Andrew Downie; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Soccer Football - Boca Juniors Fans ahead of the Copa Libertadores match between River Plate and Boca Juniors - Eurostars Suites Mirasierra, Madrid, Spain - December 8, 2018 Boca Juniors fans and police outside the team hotel as the Boca Juniors team coach arrives REUTERS/Susana VeraSoccer Football - Boca Juniors Fans ahead of the Copa Libertadores match between River Plate and Boca Juniors - Eurostars Suites Mirasierra, Madrid, Spain - December 8, 2018 Boca Juniors fans and police outside the team hotel as the Boca Juniors team coach arrives REUTERS/Susana VeraSoccer Football - Boca Juniors Fans ahead of the Copa Libertadores match between River Plate and Boca Juniors - Eurostars Suites Mirasierra, Madrid, Spain - December 8, 2018 General view as the Boca Juniors team coach arrives at the team hotel REUTERS/Susana VeraFILE PHOTO: German Lopez, River Plate fan, poses with his brother Gonzalo Lopez, Boca Junior fan, in front of Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, in Madrid, Spain December 7, 2018. REUTERS/Javier Barbancho/File PhotoSoccer Football - Boca Juniors Fans ahead of the Copa Libertadores match between River Plate and Boca Juniors - Eurostars Suites Mirasierra, Madrid, Spain - December 8, 2018 Boca Juniors' Carlos Tevez and team mates applaud and wave to their fans outside the team hotel REUTERS/Susana VeraSoccer Football - Boca Juniors Fans ahead of the Copa Libertadores match between River Plate and Boca Juniors - Eurostars Suites Mirasierra, Madrid, Spain - December 8, 2018 Boca Juniors fans and police outside the team hotel as the Boca Juniors team coach arrives REUTERS/Susana VeraSoccer Football - Boca Juniors Fans ahead of the Copa Libertadores match between River Plate and Boca Juniors - Eurostars Suites Mirasierra, Madrid, Spain - December 8, 2018 Boca Juniors fans and police outside the team hotel as they await the arrival of the Boca Juniors team coach REUTERS/Susana VeraSoccer Football - Boca Juniors Fans ahead of the Copa Libertadores match between River Plate and Boca Juniors - Eurostars Suites Mirasierra, Madrid, Spain - December 8, 2018 Boca Juniors fans and police outside the team hotel as they await the arrival of the Boca Juniors team coach REUTERS/Susana Vera
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