Libertadores de America Stadium

The Estadio Libertadores de America is a stadium located in the district of Avellaneda in Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina. Owned by Club Atletico Independiente, the stadium host the home matches of club's football team. The stadium was officially named only as recently as 2005, having been previously known simply as Estadio de Independiente or La Doble Visera de Cemento ("The double cement visor") because of the two roofs overhanging the spectators.

The stadium was built in 1928 and had a capacity of 52,823 with 27,863 seats. La Doble Visera ("The double cement visor"), as it was popularly known, was the first cement stadium built in South America, and would host all international finals Independiente played as local team. In October 2009 the stadium was reopened after having been refurbished. The current capacity of the venue is 42,069.

History

The origins of the stadium can be traced to 1925, when Independiente acquired a 6-ha land on the corner of Alsina and Cordero, few meters from the Estadio Racing Club. One year later, the club started to build a cement stadium, the first in Argentina. Project by Engineer Federico Garofalo, who had designed a cement grandstand with roof with no columns (like a visor, inspired on Brazilian Hipodromo da Gavea) was the project chosen by the club.

The stadium was inaugurated on March 4, 1928, in a friendly match between Independiente and Uruguayan club Penarol, with Governor of Buenos Aires, Valentin Vergara, as the guest of honor. The first official match played there was on April 29 1928, when Independiente and Sportivo Buenos Aires tied 0–0. The first international match held at Independiente was on May 25, 1928, when Scottish club Motherwell F.C. played v a Liga Rosarina combined during the British club tour of Argentina. Other notable matches of the time include a 4–1 win over Spanish champion FC Barcelona.

The Argentina national football team played a Copa Newton match at Independiente in August 1928, being this the first match of the te

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