We couldn't play if Boca had been hurt – Gallardo backs Copa postponement

River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo backed the decision to postpone the Copa Libertadores final, labelling incidents before the second leg a "total embarrassment".

The second leg of the decider was rescheduled for Sunday after Boca Juniors' bus came under attack outside El Monumental.

Boca, visiting after a 2-2 draw in the first leg, had their bus showered with projectiles, with some smashing windows of the vehicle.

Gallardo said he felt there was no way the game could go ahead if Boca's preparations had been hurt by the pre-match incidents.

"A football party was expected and it ended up being a general, total embarrassment," he said, via TyC Sports.

"First was the aggression against the Boca bus and after everything that was lived during the day, we had to live this when we should have another kind of enjoyment.

La cancha más linda del mundo está lista para la final. #JuntosSomosMásGrandes pic.twitter.com/A2TISpYRGX

— River Plate (@CARPoficial) November 24, 2018

"Unfortunately, it ended as it ended. Hopefully tomorrow [Sunday] in normal conditions we can play the game that we all want.

"It seemed to me that we could not play the game if Boca's players had been physically or mentally damaged, and from then on I did not make decisions, it was my opinion."

Reports suggested three Boca players were taken to hospital for assessment, with the game eventually postponed by 24 hours.