Police officials on Monday said 89 people were injured and 55 detained in riots sparked by rampaging fans, humiliated by the club’s demotion despite a history that includes 33 league title — more than any other Argentine club.
The fallout from the loss has already cost jobs. Coach Juan Jose Lopez quit on Monday, the club said on its website, and was replaced by former club midfielder Matias Almeyda. Passarella’s position as president is also under threat, but the 1978 World Cup winner says he won’t be quitting.
A prosecutor has ordered the stadium to be closed until the turnstiles can be inspected. He has suggested the legal capacity of 40,000 was exceeded by 12,000. The stadium, which also serves as Argentina’s national stadium, is set to hold the final match of the Copa America on July 24.
Argentina is the host nation for the Copa America — the South American national team championship — with play starting Friday in La Plata, 60 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Buenos Aires. Argentina and Brazil are the favorites to meet in the final, which could again test security at the aging stadium.
Prosecutor Gustavo Galante said the closure could last for a month, but also hinted it might take only a week to gather evidence.
“We are going to look for evidence of what happened,” Galante told The Associated Press. “The stadium will remain closed until this is completed and all the evidence is in hand.” CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American football, insisted the match will go on.
“Fans can rest easily,” spokesman Nestor Benitez told The AP. “The Copa America final will be played at River Plate’s stadium.” Ernesto Cherquis Bialo, a spokesman for the Copa America and the Argentine Football Association, said it was too early to know if the final would be moved. He also said AFA’s executive committee would meet Thursday and decide on sanctions against River Plate.
Sunday’s rioting was set off after River Plate drew 1-1 with Belgrano in the second leg of a relegation playoff, which followed a 2-0 loss four days earlier. That match was suspended for 20 minutes when River Plate fans ripped through a fence and raced across the field to taunt their own players.
The chaotic scenes Sunday pitted River Plate hooligans known as “Los Borrachos del Tablon” — the Drunks in the Stands — against a force of 2,200 police, the largest to ever patrol an Argentine football match.
Enraged fans were sprayed with high-power water hoses — inside and outside the stadium — with police using teargas, rubber bullets and hand-to-hand combat in a futile attempt to control the rioting.
Inside the stadium, fans ransacked concession stands, ripped the slats from seats and swung them at police.
As fans scattered outside, they set fire to vehicles and rubbish bins around the stadium in the leafy suburb of Nunez, with many smashing windows and breaking into shops in upscale shopping areas.
The ugly images were shown on television worldwide, which is sure to take some luster off the Copa America and put pressure on the Argentine Football Association and its president Julio Grondona.
Argentina’s interior ministry, after meeting with AFA, decided to play the match with fans in attendance. Others had suggested that was too dangerous and said the match should have been played in an empty stadium.
Anibal Fernandez, head of the Argentine government cabinet and senior assistant to President Cristina Fernandez, said Monday there was “no reason” to play without fans.
“These are not River fans, these are 300 vandals,” Fernandez told Telefe television. “They need to be identified, detained and never allowed back into the stadium.” River president Passarella said after the match he would not resign.
“They will take River’s presidency away from me over my dead body,” he said.
Passarella, the captain of the Argentina team which won the 1978 World Cup, will face huge problems trying to rejuvenate River Plate, which was relegated for the first time in its 110-year history.
The club has debts estimated at $19 million and is sure to experience a steep drop in revenue in the second division.
River Plate received about $7.5 million from TV rights in the past 12 months. In the second division, it will receive about $1 million.
Many of River Plate’s top players are sure to leave, joining other stars who have been sold in recent years to European clubs. Sponsors may also seek new contracts at reduced rates.
“It is difficult to see them coming back immediately,” said Ricardo Caruso Lombardi, who has coached several second-division teams, “They need to reorganize the club in every way and get familiar with the second division.
This is an unknown world to River.” River Plate’s drop is viewed as incomprehensible, much like Real Madrid going down to Spain’s second division.
The club, which has two Copa Libertadores titles, has won 10 more league championships than archrival Boca Juniors.
River Plate’s last league title was in 2008.
Violence is endemic in Argentine football. The non-profit group “Let’s Save Football” says 14 people have been killed in football-related violence in the last 16 months.
The group says 287 have died since 1924.
