Boca in bid to convince Riquelme to stay
July 6th, 2012 - 5:45 pm ICT by IANSRio de Janeiro, July 6 (IANS) Argentine side Boca Juniors have not given up hope of convincing Juan Roman Riquelme to remain at the club.
Riquelme announced he was leaving the Buenos Aires outfit after a 1-3 aggregate loss to Corinthians in the Copa Libertadores final Wednesday, reported Xinhua
“We are going to talk with him to see if there’s any possibility of him changing his mind,” Boca president Daniel Angelici said.
Angelici denied reports of a rift between Riquelme and coach Julio Cesar Falcioni.
“It was a tough season and in any group of people that spend long periods together there will be differences,” Angelici said.
“But everything is settled within the dressing room and they are not matters that I get involved with.”
Riquelme, who emerged from Boca’s youth system in the mid-1990s, won three Copa Libertadores titles during two separate spells at the club.
He told reporters at Sao Paulo’s Pacaembu stadium Wednesday he had “nothing more to give” to the club.
“I’ve lived through a lot these past six months,” Riquelme said. “I didn’t expect to play in another Copa Libertadores final. But now I feel empty and I can’t play at half steam.”
Riquelme has already received interest from several clubs, including an approach from China’s Shanghai Shenhua, coached by Riquelme’s compatriot and friend Sergio Batista.
- Boca goalkeeper provokes Corinthians before Copa final - Jul 03, 2012
- Boca Juniors hint at signing Maradona as coach - Jul 16, 2012
- Corinthians coach ecstatic reaching Libertadores final - Jun 26, 2012
- Boca beat Universidad in Copa Libertadores semis - Jun 15, 2012
- Ronaldo pleaded with me to join Corinthians: Riquelme - Jun 27, 2012
- Corinthians draw with Boca in Libertadores final - Jun 28, 2012
- Maradona brands Riquelme traitor - Jul 19, 2012
- Boca defender to play in Libertadores - Jul 01, 2012
- Former Real Madrid coach leads Gremio into top four - Jun 25, 2012
- Riquelme in talks with Brazil's Flamengo - Jul 08, 2012
- Riquelme does not deserve to play at Flamengo: Coach - Jul 21, 2012
- Corinthians win first Copa Libertadores title - Jul 05, 2012
- Neymar dreaming of final against Boca - May 26, 2012
- Corinthians shock Santos in Libertadores semis - Jun 14, 2012
- Stoppage-time header from gives Fluminense victory - Apr 19, 2012
Tags: argentine side, batista, boca juniors, compatriot, copa libertadores, corinthians, dressing room, juan roman, julio cesar, long periods, mid 1990s, pacaembu, president daniel, rio de janeiro, sao paulo, shanghai shenhua, six months, spells, steam, xinhua