A political undercurrent is running through the choice of venues for the Copa America and as World Cup qualifiers also loom the issue is becoming increasingly controversial. The Argentine authorities decided early on to take the event out to the provinces, their decentralising zeal meaning the capital Buenos Aires will stage only the July 24 final at River Plate's Monumental Stadium.
Several games, including the hosts' opener, have been staged at the ultra-modern La Plata stadium, an hour outside the capital.
After starting off at La Plata the Argentines moved on to Santa Fe, where they were booed after drawing with Colombia, before re-establishing their bond with the fans after blitzing Costa Rica in Cordoba.
They did not - surprisingly for many historians of the game here - travel to Rosario, four hours north-west of Buenos Aires, even though it is the birthplace of star man Lionel Messi.
Media and local government sources in the city told AFP this decision was based, not just on the modern facilities of La Plata, but also on a poorly-organised World Cup qualifier against Brazil in 2009 which Argentina lost.
Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondona, who is also a FIFA vice-president, indicated that "the stadiums which will be used will be those which were Copa America venues."
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