November 27 – The Italian city of Genoa has offered to host the twice-postponed Copa Libertadores final between River Plate and Boca Juniors, stressing the role immigrants from the city had in founding the two Buenos Aires arch rivals.
As officials prepared to discuss how and when to reschedule the second leg of South America’s biggest club fixture after the disgraceful scenes at the weekend when the bus carrying the Boca team was attacked by fans, the Genoa city government it had written to the clubs offering to host the game.
Kick-off was initially delayed before the game was postponed from Saturday to Sunday only to be called off again hours before kick-off when Boca said they were not in a fit state to play.
“Our city, which historically, culturally and through sport, is close to Buenos Aires, feels a deep-rooted link to your two prestigious clubs founded by our countrymen who emigrated from Italy to Argentina in the early 1900s, and today twinned to our two clubs Genoa and Sampdoria,” Genoa’s government said.
Genoa is still recovering from the tragic accident in August when a motorway bridge collapsed, killing 43 people.
“We would be very proud to host important clubs like Boca and River in our city by welcoming them in what, in some ways, is also their first home,” said the city’s sports director Stefano Anzalone.
“It would also be a further opportunity to give international visibility in Genoa at this time of difficulty and to renew the profound sense of friendship that historically unites us with those societies.”
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