BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Two fans leapt from the stands into the open air to escape the assault, while another collapsed from a blow to the head with a club. Several others attempted to flee, naked and covered in blood, as they pleaded for mercy from the attackers.
Barrabravas from Independiente attacked the visiting Universidad de Chile supporters with sticks and bladed weapons during the return leg of the Copa Sudamericana round of 16, in another blow to South American football’s reputation for violence.
By the end, more than 100 people had been detained and around two dozen injured, including one in a critical condition, according to authorities.
The match was “canceled,” and now CONMEBOL—the governing body for football in South America—will decide, on paper rather than on the field, how the series proceeds. The Chilean side had been ahead on aggregate, 2-1.
Frontal condemnation of the brutality soon followed from high-ranking officials in both countries, and even FIFA President Gianni Infantino spoke out against the scenes.
“Nothing justifies a lynching. Nothing,” Chilean President Gabriel Boric stated on X (formerly Twitter).
Infantino condemned “the shocking violence” in the strongest terms and called for “exemplary sanctions.”
“CONMEBOL is gathering information and forwarding it to the Disciplinary Unit for the application of the appropriate sanctions,” the federation said in a statement released on Thursday.
This incident did not stand alone in the South American competitions played this year. In April, Colo Colo of Chile was punished with sanctions and fines after the misconduct of its fans in a Libertadores first-round match against Fortaleza of Brazil.
In recent weeks there were also reports of clashes between Argentine fans and police at stadiums in Brazil and Uruguay.
According to Argentine police, the trouble began when Chilean supporters—located in an upper tier—broke seats and bathroom facilities and hurled hard objects toward the lower section where the home fans sat. They also assaulted security personnel and police.
Authorities said the police did not intervene to quell the disturbance, citing a desire to prevent a greater problem, and instead warned the Chilean crowd over loudspeakers to cease the misbehavior.
As the projectiles continued to rain down, the match was suspended near the end of the first half with the score tied at 1-1.
Just as Chilean fans began leaving the stadium, Independiente’s barrabravas struck back. Hooded men, evading police control, breached security doors and forced their way into the visiting section, where they attacked the Chilean supporters with clubs and metal objects.
Two of the assailants, trapped and cornered, reportedly threw themselves into the empty stands to escape, according to mobile-phone footage captured by bystanders.
One of the wounded, identified as Gonzalo Alfaro, required surgery, and his condition was described as delicate by medical staff at Fiorito Hospital in Buenos Aires. Of 19 Chilean nationals hospitalised, most with multiple injuries, only two remained hospitalised on Thursday, according to the Chilean foreign ministry.
The Chilean government also confirmed that 25 of the approximately 120 Chilean fans detained for “assault and resistance to authority” were released. Those still under arrest were moved to different facilities on Thursday after consular efforts to prevent overcrowding and improve their safety conditions.
Following instructions from Chile’s President Boric, Interior Minister Álvaro Elizalde travelled to Buenos Aires, where he was received by National Security Minister Patricia Bullrich.
“Nationality here is irrelevant, and the football club involved is irrelevant. Violence is unacceptable under any circumstances,” the official told reporters.
Bullrich added: “We are witnessing a tragedy—perhaps one of the most significant in Argentina’s football history, though fortunately with no fatalities.” She also criticized the security operation organized by the Buenos Aires province government, which deployed about 650 officers for the match.
“We believed actions should have been taken earlier, when the first stone was thrown, to prevent what happened next,” she assessed.
On Independiente’s side, president Néstor Grindetti traveled to Paraguay the same day to present the club’s account to CONMEBOL.
“The match was canceled because of the Chilean fans’ behavior,” Grindetti said in an interview with TyC Sports. “We are here to explain what happened and to defend Independiente’s people. The footage clearly shows that the vandalism came from the Chileans from the start of the game.”
CONMEBOL did not specify when it would decide the fate of the tie but emphasized that it would act with maximum firmness and indicated that greater accountability lay with the home team’s organizers.
CONMEBOL reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating violence in football and urged all clubs participating in its competitions—acting as hosts—to implement the strongest possible prevention and safety measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
