Tim Vickery reports from Rio de Janeiro
Last year’s Copa Libertadores came to
a dramatic and controversial conclusion
at the Santiago Bernabeu. This year’s
Final is set for Santiago, with defending
champions River Plate of Argentina
taking on Brazil’s Flamengo – the most
refreshing club to hit South American
domestic football for years – on
November 23.
But there is a problem. This, of
course, is the first year of a one-offshowdown in a neutral venue.
Santiago had seemed like the safest
of choices – but then Chile erupted in
social unrest and a state of emergency
was declared. CONMEBOL, the South
American Confederation, is watching
anxiously, hoping and trusting that
things calm down in time. No Plan B
has so far been announced, but the
most logical alternative would probably
be Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay,All eyes on
Santiago
Flamengo and River Plate to
meet in Libertadores Final
eyewitness
BRAZIL