The Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, has mentioned that the municipality is preparing the Sambadrome to welcome Boca Juniors fans who arrive in this Brazilian city for the Copa Libertadores final without hotel reservations.

Depending on the number of fans arriving in the city, they also plan to make Terreirao do Samba, a neighboring area, available for visitors to camp and park their motorhomes and charter buses.

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The Sambadrome, an avenue surrounded by grandstands where samba schools parade during the traditional Carnival festivities, is located in downtown Rio and close to the Maracanã stadium, as is Terreirao do Samba, a space designed for massive concerts.

"We are keeping an eye on the number of Argentines arriving, but we don't have a very clear idea. They are arriving by plane, bus, and car, and no one is consolidating this information. We will observe how this movement unfolds, and we are preparing space in the Sambadrome to provide them with more comfort," he said.

He added that both the Sambadrome and Terreirao do Samba are facilities with access to public bathrooms and other camping services.

The mayor admitted that everything will be defined according to the needs, as while the press in the neighboring country reports an "invasion" of Argentine fans in Rio de Janeiro with around 150,000 supporters, the police estimate that this number may be limited to 50,000, most of them without tickets to Maracanã and without hotel reservations.

Paes announced his plan in a press conference where he detailed the measures taken by the municipality for a weekend in which the city will host several events, including the Libertadores final, a concert by Red Hot Chili Peppers, a performance by Brazilian singer Roberto Carlos, and even national university entrance exams.

The city government estimates that these events will attract around 400,000 visitors until Sunday, and 82% of the city's hotel capacity has already been reserved.

The mayor also mentioned that, in addition to the decree prohibiting the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages around Maracanã on the day of the final, access roads to the stadium will be blocked to prevent crowds.

"We are not taking measures for just any match or a regular rivalry in Rio. This is a model plan, similar to those used in the World Cup final in 2014 or the opening and closing ceremonies of the Rio 2016 Olympics," he explained.

During the press conference, Paes called for respect for Boca Juniors fans and deemed the assault on a couple of Argentines at Copacabana Beach on Monday, where they were beaten and robbed by four members of a Fluminense organized fan group who have been arrested, as unacceptable.

"We need to respect and treat our visitors well. Argentines will be very welcome, and our police forces will be vigilant to prevent any type of violence."