Argentinian Football Association president Julio Grondona will send an official request to FIFA to change the venue of the crucial World Cup qualifier against Brazil.
The move follows current hosts River Plate's response to Argentina head coach Diego Maradona's complaints about the condition of the pitch earlier this month.
A couple of days before the 1-0 home win over Colombia two weekends ago, Maradona claimed the "embarrassing" state of the surface at the Estadio Monumental was worse than those in the shantytown where he was born.
The pitch at the Monumental was poor after a couple of rock concerts, and Maradona suggested that "the presidents of Real Madrid or Barcelona would no longer let their (Argentinian) stars play for the national team" if they saw how it was.
The River directors were stung by Maradona's quotes and have responded by lodging their own complaints about the World Cup winner.
And Grondona has now determined that Argentina should not play Brazil at River's ground but at the Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, home of top-flight team Rosario Central in Rosario city, 306km away from Buenos Aires.
Grondona told Radio del Plata that the argument could stem from Maradona's fanaticism for River's arch-rivals Boca Juniors.
"This is a matter of Boca and River, where River people complain against some comments by a passionate fan of Boca," he said.
"Unfortunately, it happened, but they are misunderstandings, expressions neither of the parties should have said. Maybe the AFA has some fault because we could have set another venue as an alternative.
"That is why we'll make the request to have another stadium available, a venue that meets the FIFA requirements.
"I've spoke to the president of Rosario Central (Horacio Usandizaga) to ask him for information about the condition of their stadium.
"They have made a number of changes and we'll try to ask for Rosario Central's stadium in case Argentina need it."
Argentina are playing the Selecao in September as they try to climb higher than their current fourth place in the South American Qualifying Zone.
Even though they are currently in the last direct qualification spot with four rounds to go, they are only two points above Ecuador.
A couple of days before the 1-0 home win over Colombia two weekends ago, Maradona claimed the "embarrassing" state of the surface at the Estadio Monumental was worse than those in the shantytown where he was born.
The pitch at the Monumental was poor after a couple of rock concerts, and Maradona suggested that "the presidents of Real Madrid or Barcelona would no longer let their (Argentinian) stars play for the national team" if they saw how it was.
The River directors were stung by Maradona's quotes and have responded by lodging their own complaints about the World Cup winner.
And Grondona has now determined that Argentina should not play Brazil at River's ground but at the Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, home of top-flight team Rosario Central in Rosario city, 306km away from Buenos Aires.
Grondona told Radio del Plata that the argument could stem from Maradona's fanaticism for River's arch-rivals Boca Juniors.
"This is a matter of Boca and River, where River people complain against some comments by a passionate fan of Boca," he said.
"Unfortunately, it happened, but they are misunderstandings, expressions neither of the parties should have said. Maybe the AFA has some fault because we could have set another venue as an alternative.
"That is why we'll make the request to have another stadium available, a venue that meets the FIFA requirements.
"I've spoke to the president of Rosario Central (Horacio Usandizaga) to ask him for information about the condition of their stadium.
"They have made a number of changes and we'll try to ask for Rosario Central's stadium in case Argentina need it."
Argentina are playing the Selecao in September as they try to climb higher than their current fourth place in the South American Qualifying Zone.
Even though they are currently in the last direct qualification spot with four rounds to go, they are only two points above Ecuador.
Copyright (c) Press Association
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