Boca Juniors’ season goes from bad to worse. Beaten in the superclásico and then left without a manager after Claudio Borghi finally (allegedly before the match, and independent of its result) decided his position was untenable – Banfield’s Julio César Falcioni, incidentally, is the favourite to take over – they now have to face up the consequences of Juan Román Riquelme’s early tendinitis which turned him into a walking hole where Boca’s playmaker should have been until half time.
It is possible, just two matches into his comeback from a six-month layoff, that Riquelme won’t be able to play for Boca again until 2011. He’s been working with Boca’s doctors since the match, but indications seem to be that he might well have played his last match of 2010. Will there ever be some good news for the Xeneize?
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Hasta El Gol Siempre 
They shoulda pitched both Roman and Palermo before the tournament started. Now they’re stuck with an aging, chronically hurt Riquelme for four years ?!
Bring back Macri and The Twin !
But, Johnny, there is no Boca with out Riquelme… Seriously, some of use have been wondering why the team have been holding on to the aging playmaker for years now. And, of course, the Boca fans in our mist would cast evil looks at every suggestion that Boca would be better off with out him.
David… Johnny is one of the ‘Boca fans in our midst’. And I have to say I’m inclined to agree with him, really. Especially given Riquelme’s absolutely massive contract (which, let’s not forget, caused Boca’s previous treasurer to resign in digust), it’s hard to make an argument that he’s currently giving the club value for their money. With the cash they’re paying him, they could’ve had a player like Walter Erviti or Gio Moreno, both of whom are tearing up trees this season…
Well, David is right to some degree. There are many Boca fans who would have been up in arms if Boca had let Roman go. But there are others, particularly after Roman infamously showed up Palermo, who would not have been crying crocodile tears had Boca not offered a contract. I think that Boca management (at least some of them) have been swayed by a number of poor arguments for keeping Roman. They should have looked at his declining form over the past two years and his increasing tendency to be injured. Not to mention his perverse obsession with causing trouble with some of his teammates.
Not that getting rid of Roman would have solved all of Boca’s problems. Far from it. Over the past two years Boca has sold a TON of valuable players and in return have signed mediocrities (with the exception of Gary Medel). So, their best players are now either way on the downside of their careers or playing in Europe. To add to the woes, even players who have had a winning mentality for many years (read Battaglia) are now faced with week after week of poor play, losses and constant intrigue. This takes it’s toll on even the strongest after going on for so long.
As Martin said yesterday, this is a horrible moment for Boca and they are in the process of losing all the prestige they built up over the past decade.
shame about roman. i rekon they rushed him back 2 soon just because it was the classico. they should have just left him alone for this tournament and waited for the next 1 to start, by the way what sort of contract (moneywise) is roman on. i know its for 4 years but financially whats the makeup. Just on another point i rekon they should try 2 get palacio back as its looks as though things aren’t goin great for him at genoa.