Peñarol president urges fans not to travel for Corinthians clash | OneFootball

On April 30, at 9:00 p.m. (Brasília time), Corinthians will host Uruguay’s Peñarol at Neo Química Arena in a match valid for the third round of the 2026 Conmebol Libertadores group stage. In an interview with the program Punto Penal, the president of the Uruguayan club, Ignacio Ruglio, revealed that he advised the club’s fans not to travel to São Paulo.

The executive believes that São Paulo is dangerous territory and that traveling to watch a Libertadores match makes no sense as a tourist trip. He also stressed that he will soon release a statement reaffirming his recommendation with more grounds: “I recommended to all the families who wrote to me that they should not travel. If Peñarol fans can avoid going to Brazil, all the better.”

Photo: José Manoel Idalgo/Agência Corinthians

“The Copa Libertadores is not a tourist trip. We will release a letter in the coming hours about the penalties that exist in Brazil and the complexity of the legislation on certain issues, so that people know this is not a tourism destination when the Copa Libertadores is being played. São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are usually dangerous,” he said.

In the second half of 2024, before that year’s Libertadores semifinals, in which Peñarol faced Botafogo, fans of the Uruguayan team were at the center of unrest in Rio de Janeiro a few hours before the first leg of the teams’ international competition clash. Supporters invaded and looted stores and stalls, and also clashed directly with local police, pedestrians, and beachgoers. Following the developments, 300 people ended up being detained.

Seven years earlier, in 2017, Peñarol’s fans were also involved in another conflict, this time at their own stadium, Campeón Del Siglo, against Palmeiras supporters. A bomb exploded in the away section, causing objects to be thrown, arguments, and spillover onto the pitch, where many players, especially from the Uruguayan side, resorted to physical aggression. Police urgently had to intervene to contain the chaos.

Before facing Peñarol in the group stage, Corinthians will make their Libertadores debut on the 9th, Thursday, at 9:00 p.m. (Brasília time), at Coliseo de Victoria, against Platense. Then, six days later (15), on Wednesday, they will face Colombia’s Independiente Santa Fé at Neo Química Arena in the second round of the international tournament’s group stage.

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