A 3-1 victory after extra time over arch-rivals Boca Juniors in Real Madrid's Bernabeu sparked celebrations back home but these developed into violent scenes.
River supporters descended upon The Obelisk, one of Buenos Aires' major monuments and where fans go to celebrate together.
They also headed to the Plaze de la Repulica and set off flares and fireworks.
Others, meanwhile, climbed lamp posts and other buildings to celebrate a fourth Copa Libertadores success.
But fans attacked shops, TV crews and journalists in the Argentine capital city before targeting police with stones and bottles.
Three police offers were injured and 20 people were held before being released.
Officials said around 50 hooligans sparked the violence by jumping on the roof of a police car around midnight local time and throwing missiles at officers who tried to disperse them.
Riot police used tear gas and rubber bullets to defend themselves.
They denied they had fought pitched battles with some of the River fans or that rival Boca fans had infiltrated the celebrations.
The incidents cast yet another shadow over Argentine football.The game was of course controversially moved to Madrid after River Plate fans attacked the Boca Juniors boss en route to the second leg two weeks ago.
Tear gas was used, the bus driver fainted and two Boca players were taken to hospital for treatment.
After it was initially put back 24 hours, more violence took place on the Sunday and it was eventually postponed.
Miami and Qatar were suggested as potential destinations but the Bernabeu was chosen despite being more than 6,000 miles away from Buenos Aires – it was the first time the Superclasico had been played in Europe.
The only football fan arrested over the horrific attack on Boca Juniors’ bus, apologised for his actions in a TV interview ahead of the rescheduled final.
Mechanic Matias Firpo, 31, claimed: “I didn’t know how to control an impulse” after escaping jail by admitting wrongdoing as part of a plea bargain deal with prosecutors.
The River Plate fan cut his hair and his goatee beard in the ten days it took Argentinian authorities to identify him and detain him over the November 24 attack near his club’s Monumental Stadium.
Footage used to identify him showed him running towards the Boca bus, bare-chested and wearing a red River baseball cap, and smashing one of its windows by hurling an unopened can of beer at it.
He was let off with a suspended two-year-and-four-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to a crime of aggravated damage in a speedy trial days after his arrest.
He was also banned from entering a football stadium during the same period – and ordered to do 180 days of community service.
Former Manchester United and Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez was among those attacked in the ambush, which left two Boca players needing hospital treatment.
A mum-of-four, filmed strapping flares to the belly of her six-year-old son ahead of the suspended November 24 match, accepted a two-year-and-eight-month suspended prison sentence after admitting wrongdoing following her arrest.
The footage of her risking her child’s life so she could try to smuggle the flares into River’s stadium because she knew youngsters would not be body-searched went viral.
Her identity has not been made public to protect her son’s identity.
Boca Juniors and River fans who travelled to Madrid to watch the rescheduled final insisted the troublemakers who caused problems in Buenos Aires were a minority.
And so it seemed.
In stark contrast to the scenes back home, there was no reported violence in Madrid.
Fans of both sides partied in the city before the game but it was the River supporters that continued afterwards at Puerto de Sol as their side came from behind to win.
Dario Benedetto gave Boca the lead just before half-time but Lucas Pratto equalised midway through the second half.
With the aggregate score tied at 3-3 thanks to the first-leg 2-2 draw on November 11, the final went to extra time, where Juan Fernando Quintero fired the 'hosts' in front.
Lucas Pratto scored into an open goal in the second minute of injury time to complete the famous win.
Source: Read Full Article
