Grindetti stands up for Independiente: “We were victims, not to blame” | OneFootball

The president of Independiente, Néstor Grindetti, held a press conference to detail the statement the club submitted to Conmebol, following the incidents that occurred at the Libertadores de América – Ricardo Enrique Bochini stadium during the match against Universidad de Chile for the Copa Sudamericana.

The statement was an attempt to defend the institution and absolve it of all responsibility for the suspension and subsequent cancellation of the first leg of the round of 16.

Grindetti was categorical in his presentation. First, he strongly condemned the acts of violence recorded at the stadium, but clarified that Independiente was neither the instigator nor the culprit of the disturbances.

“Independiente was in no way responsible for the suspension or the cancellation of the match. The cancellation of the match was exclusively due to the aggressions by the visiting fans,” Grindetti emphasized.

Additionally, the president added: “We sent a report to Conmebol demonstrating that the club was not responsible but rather a victim of a group of criminals.”

The official explained that the match had been classified by security authorities as a high-risk game due to previous incidents, which is why Independiente implemented all protocols required by Conmebol and reinforced both police and private security operations.

According to his account, dozens of officers and security personnel participated, in coordination with the Ministry of Security, but the incidents broke out unexpectedly and violently on the part of the visiting fans.

At this point, Grindetti was precise in stressing that the violence did not start on the field or during the match, but before it began: “The violence started before the match began and it was suspended because of the visiting team.”

According to Independiente’s official version, Universidad de Chile fans were the ones who provoked the disturbances by destroying the stadium’s security cameras and causing confrontations from the moment they arrived in Avellaneda: “From the start, they sought to distort reality. Everyone knows the aggression began with their fans.”

To reinforce this accusation, the management released an institutional video reconstructing the events from the “Rojo’s” perspective, with footage showing how the Chilean fans attacked police officers and caused damage to the stadium facilities.

Grindetti insisted that this evidence is part of the statement submitted to Conmebol and that he trusts the organization will act with “balance and justice” when making its decision.

However, the president of Independiente did not avoid addressing the incidents involving a group of local fans who tried to enter the visiting section.

He called them “criminals” and announced that the club would expel them as members, in addition to cooperating with the justice system so they receive the appropriate sanctions and are banned from entering any stadium: “These violent actions go beyond Independiente as an institution. We will work to ensure those responsible do not tarnish the club’s name again.”

At the same time, Grindetti highlighted the attitude of the majority of members and supporters who, amid the chaos, behaved with respect and solidarity, helping other fans leave the stands in an orderly manner: “A large part of our people behaved with dignity and values. That also deserves recognition.”

As for what comes next, Independiente is now awaiting Conmebol’s decision, which must determine in the coming days how the round of 16 series will proceed.

The South American organization received statements from both institutions and now faces the difficult task of deciding whether to award the match to one of the teams or eliminate both from the competition. The ruling could also include financial or sporting sanctions for the Avellaneda club.

The winner of the tie will face Alianza Lima in the quarterfinals on September 16, so time is of the essence. Meanwhile, the “Rojo” management is seeking to shield the institution from any severe sanctions that might be imposed and clings to the argument that Independiente strictly complied with all requirements imposed by Conmebol for organizing this type of match.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.