Copa Libertadores final comes to a head but leaves empty feeling

The violence-hit Copa Libertadores final between Boca Juniors and River Plate will finally conclude in Madrid on Sunday, thousands of miles away from Argentina and 15 days later than planned.

After postponements, bitter rows and court action that have tarnished the reputation of South American football, Argentina's two greatest football rivals will kick off the second leg in Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium at 2045 GMT.

The teams' good-natured training sessions in Madrid this week have been a world away from the rocking Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires that was packed for an open training session before the original fixture was due to be played last month.

That game had to be postponed twice after River fans attacked the Boca team bus. CONMEBOL, the South American football federation, chose to relocate to Spain.

- 'Weird' -
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"To play a match between Boca and River in Madrid, it's weird." River goalkeeper Franco Armani said: "We would have liked to play the game at home, on our pitch, in front of our fans, who deserve it, but the decision is made. We have to make the best of it."
"It's going to be a great party," he said. "Argentinians don't want to spoil the name of Argentina anymore."
- 'Violence the winner' -
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"Today we should be talking about how River and Boca made Argentina proud," Schelotto said. "Again, we have lost to violence."