While La Bombonera (Boca Juniors) and Monumental (River Plate) are the most traditional stadiums in Buenos Aires, in Argentina, the Argentine capital is home to several other "canchas" (fields) of neighborhood clubs, where grassroots football is treated as cultural preservation. The city is full of stadiums, just as it is common to find public squares on every corner.
Opponent of Fluminense in the quarterfinals of the Libertadores, Platense, a team from the Saavedra neighborhood, plays its games at the modest and open Estadio Ciudad de Vicente López, with a capacity for about 28 thousand fans. The reporter who wrote the article was on vacation in Buenos Aires in May this year and decided to watch the Platense vs. Peñarol match, for the group stage of the Libertadores.
Unlike the big Argentine clubs, where tickets are sold out quickly by members, Platense still has ticket availability, making it easier for fans to go to the stadium even without being a club member. This reality contrasts with the difficulty of getting tickets for Boca Juniors and River Plate matches.
Platense, which is competing in the Libertadores for the first time in history, faces Fluminense in the quarterfinals of the continental tournament. The club seeks to advance to the semifinals of the competition, while offering visitors the experience of a more accessible and traditional football in the neighborhoods of Buenos Aires.
