Independientecontinues to seek ways to avoid sanctions from CONMEBOL after the incidents that occurred last Wednesday, which resulted in a record of violence at the Estadio Libertadores de América and exposed security shortcomings during the match against Universidad de Chile.
The club's general secretary, Daniel Seaone, spoke with Radio La Red and, when asked, initially offered criticism toward the Chilean team: "They knew what kind of fans they were bringing. When tickets went on sale, they sold out quickly in Chile. They were well aware of the people who followed them, they knew who could cause disturbances. They didn't pay attention," he stated.
Seoane afirma que la U sabia qué hinchas llevaba
However, Seaone acknowledged that Independiente also failed to meet expectations in ensuring security: "We weren't prepared for this. U has a considerable history of these situations, which is why we held two security meetings with CONMEBOL and with people from Chile."
The official detailed the planning that had been implemented to separate the fan groups: "We gave them a stand with 70% of the capacity and didn't mix them with Independiente's fans. In Chile, they placed 2,000 of our fans with U's fans, separated by a fence, and nothing happened."
Despite these explanations, Seaone attempted to distance himself from ultimate responsibility for the match's security: "We are a football team and we organize a sporting event, not a security event," he concluded.
What's next?
With everything still to be decided, CONMEBOL expects both clubs to submit their arguments and evidence before the deadline, Wednesday, August 27 at 1:00 p.m. Asunción time, Paraguay. If they fail to do so, it will be considered that they have waived their right to a defense, and the organization will solve the case solely with the evidence already available in the file.
