The 3-0 victory of Tigre over Nacional de Uruguay, which allowed them to take an important first step towards qualifying for the round of 16 of the South American Cup, was completely overshadowed by a serious episode of violence. One of the buses transporting Argentine fans was shot at while leaving Montevideo and, as a result, at least one person was injured.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night, when a caravan of 15 buses was making its way to Colonia via route 1. Near Cibils Avenue, the first bus was hit by a burst of gunfire that, according to Uruguayan media, was fired by Nacional supporters.
According to initial reports, the vehicle was hit by around ten bullets. One of the projectiles struck a Tigre fan in one of his arms, so he was taken to the Hospital del Cerro, where he was hospitalized out of danger. Images shared on social media also show a window shattered by a bullet and bloodstains inside the bus.
After the attack became known, Tigre's president, Martín Suárez, went to the health center to accompany the injured supporter and closely monitor his recovery.
It should be noted that around 2,000 Matador fans had accompanied the team at the Gran Parque Central stadium and, although there were no serious incidents during the match, the day was marked by some episodes of tension.
Before the match began, one of the songs used by Spain to celebrate winning the 2026 World Cup played over the stadium speakers, something many Argentine fans interpreted as a provocation. Additionally, Tigre took the field with a banner that read "Champions are those who never give up... Thank you, national team", in tribute to the Argentine team, an initiative authorized by CONMEBOL after a request from the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
The flag displayed by the Tigre players
Once the match was over, the players also displayed a flag of the Falkland Islands similar to the one shown by the Argentine National Team after the semifinalof the World Cup against England and celebrated with their fans. However, beyond that context, the aggression suffered by the visiting fans occurred when the buses had already left the stadium and nothing justifies an attack that could have ended in tragedy.
