Argentina's proud soccer tradition has been sullied by its fervent, fanatical fans.
The land of Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona has won the World Cup twice, and it felt a sense of overwhelming pride in hosting perhaps the most important club final ever.
But the second leg of the globally anticipated "Game of the Century" between Buenos Aires rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate will be played Sunday more than 6,000 miles from the Argentine capital at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.
A general view of the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. The twice-postponed Copa Libertadores final between Argentina archrivals Boca Juniors and River Plate will be played in Madrid on Dec. 9. The second leg was supposed to be played last Saturday, but Boca players were injured when their bus was attacked by River fans. (AP PhotoManu Fernandez)
"We're going to play the Copa Libertadores 10,000 kilometers away," complained River coach Marcelo Gallardo. "Someday we're going to rethink what just happened, and we're going to remember this as a total embarrassment."
The change of venue happened after Boca Juniors players were injured when their bus was attacked by River Plate fans. That prompted organizers to postpone, and eventually move, the second leg of the final to Europe. The teams drew 2-2 in the first leg.
The switch only highlighted the rotten state of local soccer, which has been plagued with corruption, chaos and unrelenting violence for years. The decision also showed the waning influence of South American soccer's governing body, which found it impossible to stage its biggest club match on its own continent.
"It's a tough blow," Argentine President Mauricio Macri told The Associated Press in an interview this week.
Macri, a die-hard Boca fan who presided over the club for more than a decade, said the attack "must lead us all to reflection."
The rivalry between Boca and River ranks up there with the most intense in the world of sports. The matchup was more magnified than usual because the clubs were facing each other for the first time in the final of South America's equivalent of the Champions League.
The Argentine soccer federation promoted the game as a personal achievement - a way to overcome the national team's failure at the World Cup, where Argentina was eliminated in the last 16 by eventual champion France. Since then, Messi has skipped the national team's friendly games and there are reports that he is still dismayed by Argentina's poor performance in Russia.
Obsessed with promoting Argentina's image abroad, Macri had said visiting fans should be allowed at the two-leg final. It was a call at odds with a 2013 ban in Argentine soccer aimed at reducing violence. Macri had said it was "a good opportunity to show maturity, and that we're changing, and (soccer) can be played in peace." He later backtracked on the proposal and left the decision up to the clubs.
The nonprofit group "Let's Save Football" says 328 people have been killed in soccer-related violence dating from 1924.
"We have recorded more aggressions against players, referees and soccer bosses than fights or aggressions between rivaling fans," the NGO said in a recent report. "Violence doesn't disappear but rather mutates ... it's a cultural problem, not just a problem that has to do with police."
Some Boca players were injured in their bus a few blocks from River's Monumental Stadium when rocks and pieces of wood thrown by River supporters shattered the windows. Some players were also affected by tear gas and pepper spray used by police to quell the violence.
"Many years ago in England, there was a similar problem. And a strong decision changed that," said Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, who is from Argentina. "Today, it's fantastic to come here and watch football at the stadium. It's a sport to enjoy. It's not a drama. In Argentina, we're still far from that.
"We're an amazing country and people but we still have a lot of problems ... it's cultural. It's going to be a very tough job to change that. I'm not sure it's going to change."
Although it's not the most serious episode of violence in South America, governing body CONMEBOL said Argentina was not in condition to host the final.
Many see the decision to move the game abroad as a lucrative business deal aimed at filling the pockets of a few. Others say it shows how Argentina has lost influence at CONMEBOL since the 2014 death of Julio Grondona, the longtime head of the country's soccer federation who was also a senior vice president of FIFA and head of the FIFA finance committee.
Maradona, former Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert and Brazil defender Dani Alves were among those who criticized CONMEBOL for what they say is giving in to Europe's might. The tournament, named after the "liberators" of South America from Spanish rule, is now dependent on the old colonial conqueror, prompting some to joke that it should be named "Conquistadors."
Even the mood in Argentina has soured among Boca and River fans, who have yet to buy all of the 5,000 tickets available for each team.
The cost of traveling to Madrid is too much for most, especially during a time of economic crisis in Argentina, where the peso has lost about half of its value this year. But even if they did have the means, many say it will never live up to the hype after they were stripped of the "Final of All Finals" in their homeland.
"The Libertadores final is not the same," said former Boca playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme, who won the tournament three times. "They took away our final. It will now be the most expensive friendly in history."
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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talked to his team about being prepared to bleed as New England entered its first playoff game since the 2021 season.
Then, shortly after Milton Williams sacked the Chargers' Justin Herbert on Sunday night to secure the Patriots' first playoff victory in seven years, Williams celebrated with a head-butt of Vrabel.
It knocked the first-year coach backward and bloodied his lip.
“The big dogs come out in January. I think Milt took that to heart,” Vrabel said. “He came over and got me pretty good. But that’s what happens.”
Drake Maye threw a touchdown pass to Hunter Henry in the fourth quarter, and New England's defense roughed up Herbert as the Patriots beat Los Angeles 16-3 in an AFC wild-card playoff game.
Andy Borregales kicked three field goals for the Patriots (15-3), who hadn't won in the postseason since their Super Bowl victory to cap the 2018 season. They’ll host the winner of Monday night’s game between Pittsburgh and Houston in the divisional round.
In his playoff debut, Maye completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards and ran for a team-high 66 yards.
“We made plays when we had to do it,” Maye said.
He also threw an interception and lost a fumble, but the Chargers (11-7) couldn't capitalize on those turnovers.
New England held Los Angeles to 207 yards of offense and sacked Herbert six times, with one of those resulting in a lost fumble that set up the Patriots' TD.
“It's on us, what we do. I've been saying that all season,” Williams said. “We can control the game. If we do what we need to do up front, we're going to win.”
This is the second straight season in which the Chargers have lost in the wild-card round. Herbert finished 19 of 31 for 159 yards and was his team's leading rusher with 57 yards as he fell to 0-3 in the playoffs.
Herbert was just over a month removed from surgery to repair a broken bone in his nonthrowing hand.
“There was no issue,” Herbert said. “I just have to do a better job holding on to the ball.”
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said his quarterback wasn't 100 percent.
“He’s a warrior. He just gives it everything he has, all the time,” Harbaugh said, acknowledging that Herbert was limited by his hand injury. “It’s an issue, but he doesn’t flinch, like a warrior would.”
The last time the Chargers failed to score a TD in the playoffs was their 21-12 AFC championship game loss to the Patriots during the 2007 season.
The Patriots drove into the red zone on their first possession of the third quarter, but the drive ended when Maye was strip-sacked by Odafe Oweh and De'Shawn Hand recovered for the Chargers.
After Los Angeles punted, Maye connected on a pass to Kayshon Boutte that went for 42 yards to set the Patriots up on the Chargers 27. But New England settled for a 39-yard field goal that stretched their lead to 9-3.
Early in the fourth quarter, Maye used a 16-yard pass to Boutte and a 13-yard burst by Rhamondre Stevenson to set up his precise 28-yard TD toss to Henry that put the Patriots in front 16-3.
The Chargers picked up back-to-back first downs to open their ensuing drive. But when Herbert dropped back to pass on the next play, linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacked him and fell on loose ball.
Los Angeles had one final possession, but it ended with Herbert getting sacked by Williams on fourth down.
“It’s playoff football. It’s going to get ugly. It’s going to get nasty. But you’ve got to keep going,” Williams said.
The opening quarter had lots of action, but it took until early in the second quarter for the Patriots to end a scoreless stalemate.
With New England pinned inside its own 10 after a Chargers punt, Maye had a pass intended for Austin Hooper tipped by Teair Tart and intercepted by Daiyan Henley.
Los Angeles started with the ball on the Patriots 10 but was stopped on fourth-and-2 when Herbert misfired a pass to Keenan Allen.
The Patriots took over and got some breathing room via a 48-yard catch-and-run by Stevenson.
Thirteen plays and a fourth-down conversion later, the drive ended with Borregales' 23-yard field goal.
Patriots: CB Carlton Davis left in the first half with a toe injury but returned. ... CB Christian Gonzalez left in the second half with a head injury.
Chargers: End of season.
Patriots: Host either Houston or Pittsburgh next Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss celebrates after recovering a fumble by Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry, left, catches a pass next to Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) and carries it in for a touchdown in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97), linebacker Christian Elliss (53) and linebacker Robert Spillane (14) celebrate Williams' sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, left, avoids a tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) passes in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the New England Patriots, in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings (33) celebrates a tackle in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is sacked by New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings, rear, in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) avoids a tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
