The clashes between the fans of Independiente and Universidad de Chile left the Libertadores de América stadium turned into a scenario of destruction.
Photo: EFE – Juan Ignacio Roncoroni
Summary and Fast Informame
Listen to this article
Audio generated with Google
The Libertadores de América stadium was converted into a landscape of destruction after the serious incidents that occurred during the second round of the round of 16 of the South American Cup between Independiente and Universidad de Chile. What should be a sports confrontation became a battle that left visible sequelae in every corner of the stadium.
Captured aerial images show the magnitude of the disaster: pieces of masonry, uprooted seats, shattered baths, sticks, pipes and other objects scattered throughout the court. The halls and sectors of stands, especially near the southern stands and the Pavoni Alta tribune, were converted into chaos scenarios, with remains of objects thrown from the heights and clothing of dispersed visiting fans between puddles of blood.
The violence began during the first half, when fans threw elements from the upper stands, and intensified at the beginning of the second half. Two minutes after the second half, Uruguayan referee Gustavo Tejera suspended the encounter in the impossibility of guaranteeing the safety of those present. In total, at least 23 people were injured, two of them with serious cranioecephalic trauma and hospitalized in critical condition.
The security operation, composed of 800 troops between police and private security, was insufficient to control the situation. The local bar attacked a group of Chilean fans directly in the gallery after the police began their eviction. In addition, damage to gates, bars, food stalls and even in the micro of the visiting squad were reported. Between 125 and 300 people were arrested, according to different sources.
Conmebol decided to cancel the encounter and derived the case to its judicial bodies. For its part, Argentine Justice prepares to intervene and determine responsibilities, while the Independent court remains a silent testimony of the magnitude of the excesses.
What happened raises an urgent challenge for clubs and authorities: to ensure that the stadiums are again safe spaces for sport and not scenarios of violence. Meanwhile, the reconstruction of the Libertadores de América will be a process that will imply more than physical repair; It also requires reflection on security, coexistence and respect between fans.
🚴🏻⚽🏀 The latest in sports?: Everything you should know about world sport is in the spectator
