KEIR RADNEDGE in MONTEVIDEO: Gianni Infantino, president of world football federation FIFA, has denied claims that he wanted the Copa Libertadores final second leg to go ahead as planned on Saturday.

Infantino had been attending the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, expecting to see the two giants of the domestic game – hosts River Plate and Boca Juniors – contest the biggest Superclasico of them all.

Infantino: "Nothing to do with me"

Instead the game was postponed because of an attack by River hooligans on the Boca team bus which left many of the players in a distressed state.

Later it was claimed on social media that Infantino had attended crisis meetings in the stadium and insisted the game should go ahead.

Infantino has refuted the reports. He told local media: “I want to make it clear, because of false rumours being published, that I never at any time asked that the game should be played.

“Neither did I threaten anyone with disciplinary sanctions in case the match was not played. All and every decision concerning this game was for CONMEBOL, never for FIFA.

“I was very sad about what happened. Violence has no place in football and the security and safety of players, fans and officials should always be first priority.

“That is the reason I support totally the decisions taken by CONMEBOL, the two clubs and the local authorities.”

Infantino is expected back in Buenos Aires for events on Friday linked to the G20 meeting. It is not known whether he will take the opportunity, the next day, to attend the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Montevideo.

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