By Michael Place
BUENOS AIRES, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The decisive second leg of the Copa Libertadores final was postponed to Sunday after an attack on the Boca Juniors team bus by River Plate fans.
Several Boca players required medical treatment after rocks and other missiles smashed the glass windows of the vehicle around an hour before kick-off on Saturday.
Others were left queasy by tear gas, which police had fired in an effort to disperse fans near River's Monumental Stadium.
Kick-off was put back twice before the game between Argentina's biggest rivals was rescheduled to 5pm local time on Sunday, 24 hours later than originally planned.
"One team didn't want to play and the other didn't want to win under these conditions," South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) president Alejandro Dominguez said.
"This is football, not war. Neither team wants to play because this match would be unnatural. There was a gentlemen's pact with both clubs. There was a request from both clubs for the match to be suspended."
Boca forward Carlos Tevez earlier told reporters that he and his teammates were physically and psychologically affected by the incident.
"I understand that there is a lot of pressure to play the match because the FIFA president [Gianni Infantino] and other important people are here ... but the truth is it's very difficult," the former Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus player said.
Among those injured was Boca captain Pablo Perez, who was taken to hospital in an ambulance after being struck in an eye with shards of broken glass.
Others that needed medical attention were Sebastian Villa, Julio Buffarini and Augustin Almendra.
Boca and River drew 2-2 in the first leg of the final at Boca's La Bombonera earlier this month. The winner on aggregate over both legs will be crowned Copa Libertadores champions.
It is the first time that Argentina's two biggest clubs have met in the final of South America's premier club competition.
Former Argentina forward Gabriel Batista described Saturday's violence as "shameful". "Another opportunity lost in front of the whole world that observes us, shameful, lamentable," he said in a social media post.
