Argentina’s independent disqualified from Copa Sudamericana about stadiumbrawl

The administrative body of South -American football, Conmebol, disqualified Thursday the Argentinian club Independente of the Copa Sudamericana competition from 2025 about a bloody fight during a match against Universidad de Chile last month.

The Argentinian side must also play his next 14 games in Conmebol tournaments without his fans – seven at home and seven road – and pay a USD 250,000 fine, under the heavy sanctions, according to the ruling seen by AFP.

Nineteen people were injured after fans had thrown knives, sticks and stun grenades during the last-16 legs second legs on August 20 in Libertadores de America Stadium in Buenos Aires.

The match was 1-1 when it was suspended in the 48th minute before he was canceled.

Independent said that the Conmebol judgment handed over the victory to the ‘violent’, while the president of Universidad said the Chile that ‘justice’ had overcome.

The Chilean club has also yielded considerable sanctions about the fight. It was fined $ 270,000 and was also excluded from having fans in the next 14 international competitions.

But it will continue to be in the competition and will come across in the quarterfinals in Alianza Lima van Peru.

The ruling of Conmebol, seen as sending a strong message about stadium violence, can be appealed. The football body endangered both teams with strict punishment in the case of repeated unrest.

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It also ordered the two teams to conduct campaigns on social media and in their stadiums against «racism, discrimination and violence.»

The violence flared up when fans started throwing stones, sticks, bottles and seats at home from the Chilean side.

Independiente -fans then hurried the housing of the visitor -stripping, beating and bleeding Chilean fans in some of the worst sporting violence South America has seen in years.

A Chilean fan threw himself from the top of the stands to escape the attack.

The Chilean President Gabriel Boric at the time accused the independent fans of the ‘Lynchen’ of their rivals.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino had demanded ‘exemplary sanctions’.

This is the second time in a decade that an Argentinian club has been disqualified by Conmebol.

In May 2015, the Boca Juniors, boys’ club of late icon Diego Maradona, from the Copa Libertadores after his fans had attacked the river plate, the arch rival of Boca, with pepper spray.

Published on 05 September 2025