Buenos Aires, Jan 30 (IANS) Boca Juniors fan Adrian Napolitano, who received a stadium ban after attacking rival Argentine football club River Plate players with pepper spray, said he wants to return to his team’s stadium.
The Argentine said on Friday that the Boca fans would “forgive” him, reports Xinhua.
Napolitano attacked the rival team on May 14, 2015, which led to the team being disqualified in the Round of 16 from Copa Libertadores de America. That day, Napolitano used pepper spray at the River Plate players when they were coming on to the pitch at the start of the second half at La Bombonera Stadium here.
The referee decided to suspend the goalless match as various players were injured by the gas. The South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) later eliminated Boca Juniors, which led to River Plate going on to win the tournament.
Argentina’s justice system charged Napolitano for the crime of “aggravated assault” along with another three violent fans while the club decided to ban them from the stadium.
“Every time I see a match, I always think that I will return. I know that I have a lot to make up for but I also know that they (the Boca fans) will forgive me and one day I will return to the stadium,” said Napolitano, who is a baker.
Napolitano confirmed that at that moment he only wanted “to frighten” River’s players because he thought the team, coached by Marcelo Gallardo, was going to defeat his beloved Boca.
“I saw that we were going to lose once again against River. I got out from behind the chain and decided to spray the gas. I never imagined what was going to happen. I only wanted to scare them, to put pressure on them,” said Napolitano.