By Miguel Rapetti
The former soccer player and current leader of Boca Juniors, Juan Román Riquelme spoke publicly this Monday about the resignation of coach Jorge Almirón from the position of technical director of Xeneize after the defeat in the Copa Libertadores final against Fluminense.
In the words of Riquelme, he believed that Almirón was going to continue with Boca Juniors after losing in extra time against the Brazilians, but he indicated that his decision was personal and that it had already been made after the clash played at the Maracaná in Brazil.
“He stopped working at our club by his decision when we thought we were going to go to the end together. We wish him all the luck in the world,” the former number 10 said this Monday.
Riquelme, winner of three Copa Libertadores as a footballer (2000, 2001 and 2007), responded to journalists after failing to win it as a manager: “The Cup is the best and we wanted to win it.”
However, he added that “now there are more games left and we have to win them”, alluding to the three remaining rounds of the League Cup, in which they are currently out of the playoffs, and to the Argentine Cup, in which must play the semifinals against Estudiantes.
It depends on both competitions whether they want to play the Libertadores in 2024, for which the team that has six in its history (1977, 1978, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2007) has not yet qualified.
“We are hurt, but very grateful for everything (the players) did, the enthusiasm they gave to all the fans. It was important to reach the final. We wanted to win the game. We have to congratulate Fluminense for winning the Cup,” said the former Spanish Barcelona and Villarreal soccer player.
Riquelme criticized “as a fan” that in the final played on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, which his team lost 1-2, “he took little risk.”
Precisely regarding the Boca fans, who came en masse to Brazil even without tickets for the game, the one who still remains one of their biggest idols indicated that “it is not surprising, it is not strange.”
“We are the biggest club in South America, for me, without a doubt. They made us live an unforgettable experience. Not only in Rio, but in every game we play in La Bombonera. It’s always a party, it’s a soccer field again, people go to the field happy,” he concluded.
After the resignation of Almirón, who led the team since April 10, Mariano Herrón will take charge of the team until the end of the season.