Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GOING TO A GAME
In a land where Maradona (
Click here
)
is God, going to see a
fútbol
game can be a reli-
gious experience. The
superclásico
match between the Boca Juniors and River Plate has
been called the number-one sporting event to see before you die, but even the less-celeb-
rated games will give you insight into Argentina's national passion.
Attending a regular match isn't too difficult. Keep an eye on the clubs' websites, which
inform when and where tickets will be sold; often they're sold at the stadium before the
game. You'll get a choice between
populares
(bleachers) and
plateas
(seats). Avoid the
populares
, as these can get far too rowdy and sometimes dangerous.
If you want to see a
clásico
- a match between two major teams - getting a ticket will
be much harder. Plus Boca doesn't even put tickets for its key matches on sale; all tickets
go to
socios
(members). Instead, you're better off going with an agency such as Tangol
(
Click here
)
or via organizations like
www.fcbafa.com
or
www.landingpad.com
. It won't
be cheap, but it's much easier (and safer) getting a ticket this way; fake tickets do exist.
If you want to chance getting your own
clásico
or
superclásico
ticket, however, you can
always look online at
www.buenosaires.craigslist.org
or
www.mercadolibre.com.ar
.
And
if you're confident in your bargaining skills, scalpers will always exist.
Dress down, and try to look inconspicuous when you go. Take only minimum cash and
keep your camera close. You probably won't get in with water bottles, and food and drink
in the stadium is meager and expensive. Arrive early to get a good seat and enjoy the in-
sane build-up to the game. And most importantly: don't wear the opposing team's colors.
The following are some of the clubs based in Buenos Aires:
»
Estadio Argentinos Juniors
(
4551-6887;
www.argentinosjuniors.com.ar
;
Gavilán 2151)
»
Boca Juniors
Map
Click here
;
4309-4700;
www.bocajuniors.com.ar
;
Brandsen 805
A popular
club in Buenos Aires.
»
Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield
(
4641-5663;
www.velezsarsfield.com.ar
; Juan B Justo 9200)
»
Club Deportivo Españo
(
4619-1516;
www.cde.com.ar
; Santiago de Compostela 3801)
»
Club Ferro Carril Oeste
(
4431-8282;
www.ferrocarriloeste.org.ar
;
Federico G Lorca 350)
