Atento Boca: Barcelona de Guayaquil could lose the place after their fans attacked the referee against Cruzeiro

Barcelona's 0-1 loss to Guayaquil in their Copa Libertadores debut against Cruzeiro didn't just leave sporting consequences. After the incidents involving its fans at the end of the match, the club could face harsh sanctions that could affect future games in the competition, including the second round against Boca.

According to the arbitration report, Judge Juan Gabriel Benítez was assaulted when he was leaving the playing field of the Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha stadium. From the stands, a group of supporters threw objects and one of them hit the referee's face, leading to the opening of a disciplinary case by CONMEBOL.

Pending the club's disclaimers, the regulations provide for different sanctions. In the first instance, economic fines starting at 15 thousand dollars could be applied, although the amount could rise considerably, up to 50 thousand or even 150 thousand, if the seriousness of the aggression is confirmed

.

However, the consequences would not be limited to the economic. Possible sporting punishments are also evaluated, such as the partial or total closure of the stadium, the reduction of capacity or even the obligation to play games in

a neutral venue.

In more extreme scenarios, the disciplinary code allows for greater sanctions, such as the exclusion of current or future competitions in case of serious or repeated security breaches, although this alternative appears to be unlikely.

The case keeps the group's rivals on alert, especially Boca and the Catholic University who have not yet played their matches in Ecuador, who are closely following the evolution of the situation pending a resolution that could impact the development of the tournament.