- Title: ARGENTINA/FILE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Juan Roman Riquelme returns to Boca Juniors
- Date: 9th February 2013
- Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BOCA FANS RALLYING OUTSIDE BOCA STADIUM FOR THE RETURN OF RIQUELME
- Embargoed: 24th February 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Argentina
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA3PUYQ2CLS25DDA8CP4VSLZZAZ
- Story Text: Boca Juniors welcomed back midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme on Friday (February 8) seven months after he walked out of the club due to differences with former coach Julio Cesar Falcioni.
The 34-year-old midfielder quit Boca the night the tem lost the South American Libertadores Cup final to Corinthians of Brazil in Sao Paulo, having disagreed with Falcioni's tactics.
But when the 56-year-old was replaced by coach Carlos Bianchi in December speculation abounded as to whether the club would see Riquelme's return.
Bianchi and Riquelme shared in two Libertadores Cup wins, one Intercontinental Cup victory and three Argentine league titles at Boca before the player spent five years in Spain with Barcelona and then Villarreal.
Daniel Angelici, president of Boca Juniors, said the team's new addition is an important asset.
"What we [directors/executives] have been analyzing is the need to give the technical team all the tools they need to keep Boca in the trophy club, and by all the tools I mean all the possibilities and Roman is one of the most important possibilities that exists in Argentine football," said Angelici.
Boca open their "Final" championship campaign at home to Quilmes in La Bombonera on Saturday (February 9) while Riquelme is scheduled to start training with the team on Monday (February 11). - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
