RIVER PLATE - BOCA JUNIORS: ΠΡΟΚΡΙΣΗ ΣΤΑ ΠΕΝΑΛΤΥ ΜΕΣΑ ΣΤΟ ΜΟΝΟΥΜΕΝΤΑΛ

OBSERVER, Sunday April 4, 2004

50 sporting things you must do before you die


To celebrate our 50th issue we asked some of the world's biggest stars to recommend their favourite sporting occasions. The result is our definitive list - in no particular order - comprising everything from World Cup finals and grand slam events to base jumping and bull running in India. There is something for everyone - even the laziest of sports fan Edited by Gordon Thomson. With Jack Nicholson, Richard Branson, Nick Faldo, Tim Henman, Murray Walker, Anthony Holden, Chris Evert, Martin Tyler, Bob Willis... and more



1 Watch Boca Juniors Play River Plate in Buenos Aires

Derby day in Buenos Aires makes the Old Firm game (Q Celtic – Rangers) look like a primary school kick-about - and it's only a couple of quid to get in
Recommended by: Gavin Hamilton

The rivalry between Boca and River Plate is the most intense in Argentine football and, perhaps, in the whole of Latin America: the game is a riot of colour, noise and energy. Buenos Aires has the highest concentration of football teams of any city in the world. River and Boca are the two leading clubs. Boca are originally from the dockland area so their support is traditionally more working class. River moved away from the area early on in the league's history to a more upmarket district, and they have a slightly more affluent fan base, hence their nickname, Los Millionarios. One side of Boca's ground, the Estadio Alberto J Armando, is very strange. It resembles nothing so much as boxes stacked on top of each other and packed very tightly together. Its nickname, La Bonbonera (the chocolate box), is appropriate. On the day of the derby it is packed with hard-core fans
Boca and River tend to produce the big names in Argentine football. Maradona was at Boca and a lot of star names have come from River Plate, such as Hernán Crespo. Even though they lose most of their best players to Europe, there is such passion for this match that it is unsurpassed anywhere in the world.
Gavin Hamilton is the editor of World Soccer magazine
Now go and do it:
Boca Juniors' stadium is at Brandsen 805, Capital Federal, Buenos Aires. Buses go there from all over the city but to avoid confusion a taxi might be advisable. Ticket prices range from 10-30 pesos (about £2-£6) depending on which part of the stadium you sit in and children get in for three pesos (about 60p). Tickets can be bought in advance from the ticket office or at the stadium on the day. Check the club's website, www.bocajuniors.com.ar, to see when the ticket offices open as times can vary. Tickets are sold online at www.ticketek.com.ar