Police find 'grenade' ahead of Argentine league clash

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A replica explosive device was left in the stands as a threat related to the internal battle between two sets of hooligans in Almirante Brown, but play went on unhindered

A third division game in Argentina came close to being postponed
on Friday, when Buenos Aires province police found a grenade in the home stands hours before kickoff.

Forces checking the stands prior to the Primera B Metropolitana clash between Almirante Brown and Colegiales were surprised to find the potential explosive device hidden under the terraces in Brown's stadium.

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The 'grenade' was later determined to be a replica, however, and permission was given to proceed with the fixture.

Security authorities believe that the threat stems from a dispute between rival factions of Almirante's barra brava hooligans, who until recently have occupied different stands in the ground due to fears of violent confrontation.

Against Colegiales, however, one of the terraces was closed, meaning the groups would be forced to share space in the same section.

"What we found looked like a grenade, it was a replica, but this happened because we barred the chief of one of Almirante Brown's barras, Norberto Jesus Carrizo, leaders of the 'Dengue' group, from entering. That individual entered the club during the week and threatened authorities, saying blood would flow," Juan Manuel Lugones, head of the Aprevide security council, explained.

"We made the decision to bar him, we made a formal complaint to the La Matanza homicide investigator related to an internal battle in 2014 where Carrizo is accused and they tried to get the game postponed.
"We are not going to let the barras decide when and where games are played. And if they do decide to come they will have problems with the police."

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the chaotic build-up, Almirante fell 2-1 to Colegiales once the game finally got underway.