Superclásico

Superclásico is the ultimate football match in Argentina between Buenos Aires rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate. The Superclásico is known worldwide as one of the fiercest and most important games. As with so many of the bitterest rivalries across the world, the history of River Plate and Boca Juniors is inextricably linked with social class and status conflicts. River is located in the suburb of Nunez to the north, and is strongly associated with the middle and upper classes. Boca, on the other hand, is more the team of the worker.
I went to the past Superclásico with Emily and Lea, my friends from school.  The game on November 16, 2010, was located at Estadio El Monumental - Club Atletico River Plate.

Upon receiving our tickets, we were also handed a list of rules. The last one was quite telling of what was to come: “You will be in the local section of the stadium. Please, don’t cheer for any other team except River Plate -- It's a matter of life or and death.” There was so much security at this game. For safety reasons they kept the section between the Boca and River fans empty apart from for the 20 cops on standby if anything went down. After the match was over we had to wait for 30 minutes after the Boca side had left before they would let us leave the stands. This is to avoid fights among fans. CRAZY!!!

This was honestly the most intense sporting event I have ever experienced. The energy in the stands was so high. People were singing and chanting hours before the match even began. Once the game started there was not a single person on their feet. When River scored the one and only goal of the night, the Boca fans literally set the stadium on fire. I kid you not; they were honestly throwing sticks of fire onto the River fans in the sections below. How the hundreds of security guards didn’t stop this I do not know. Clearly safety concerns are different in Argentina.