Argentina's River Plate Refuses to Play Match in Madrid
Gonzalo Montiel, Rafael Santos Borre and Javier Pinola of River Plate.
Photographer: Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images
The title match of South America’s club soccer championship was thrown into disarray again when Argentina’s River Plate refused to play the rearranged final in Spain.
River doesn’t want to play the match in Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium because it will hurt fans who originally paid to watch the Nov. 24 game at River’s El Monumental stadium, the club said in a statement on its website. It will also make the match less competitive.