Tapia wants Argentina v Spain Finalissima at the Monumental | OneFootball

The armed conflict in the Middle East forced a change of venue for the Finalissima between the Argentine National Team and Spain, which was going to be played in Doha, Qatar. In this regard, UEFA has expressed its desire for the match to be played in Madrid, while the president of the AFA, Claudio Chiqui Tapia, has stated his wish for the final to take place at none other than the Monumental, home of River.

Upon leaving the courthouse, the top official of Argentine football's governing body said: “We are going to get to work because Spain wants the Finalissima to be played in Spain and I want it to be played at the Monumental.” This is in response to statements made by the head of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Rafael Louzán, who proposed the Santiago Bernabéu to host the big event.

“It’s a match that should be played in a neutral stadium. It’s clear that it seems it should be in Europe. If circumstances lead us where they do, most of the players are in Europe, so it seems logical that this is what may ultimately happen,” said Louzán, speaking to El Larguero.

While this sounds logical, the reality is that the event would lose the neutrality it had in its previous edition, when the Albiceleste and Italy played at Wembley, one of England’s most iconic stadiums. Meanwhile, Friday, March 27, the scheduled date for the tournament, is still awaiting a decision on the venue. There was talk of repeating the English cathedral or Miami, but these coincide with other commitments. Lisbon and Rome are also on the horizon, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

The issue with choosing the Monumental is that on the scheduled day for the Finalissima, the renowned band AC/DC will be holding a concert. In addition, they will have two other shows on March 23 and 31, so the Núñez facilities will be adapted with a stage for the group to perform for their fans.

Regarding his appearance at the courthouse, according to information accessed by TyC Sports, Tapia did not speak during the hearing but submitted a 99-page document and requested priority to leave the country. Later, the official website of the AFA released a statement expressing their innocence regarding the crimes they are accused of.

“The Argentine Football Association feels obliged to inform that not only did it not commit any crime, but it also exercised a right granted by the State. The AFA submitted all sworn statements, reporting in them the entirety of its tax obligations and the amounts withheld, which in no case refer to contributions from employees in a dependent relationship,” the statement reads.

And it continues: “The irreparable harm caused by the campaign to discredit the institution stems from the fact that ARCA promoted this complaint while failing to inform the Judge that the regulation issued by the State, regarding the validity of payment deadlines, is in force and applicable, as has been made clear to the intervening Court.”

To conclude, they reaffirmed their “commitment to institutional transparency.” “We will continue working with responsibility and conviction for all clubs, and for the future of Argentine Football, also focused on the major sporting objectives that are approaching in the coming days,” the statement concludes.

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