On which court Boca Juniors will be local, indirect for Salvio and great praise for a River Plate player: 10 phrases from Riquelme

Juan Román Riquelme confirmed that Boca Juniors will move the venue to the Vélez Sarsfield field at least in the next two home games. The poor state of the playing field at La Bombonera, as a result of works to improve drainage, was eloquent in the last match against Colón de Santa Fe. In this sense, the vice president and idol xeneize indicated that although the squad agreed to debut in the League Cup in front of his people in his stadium, the matches against Rosario Central (Sunday 20 at 7:15 p.m.) and Huracán (Sunday March 6 at 7:15 p.m.) they will be outside the Alberto J. Armando.

In another order, Riquelme analyzed the game against Sabalero, which ended with a tie suffered on the hour. He acknowledged that a great first half was played, but that in the complement the wear was felt. At this point there was a indirect towards the team, especially for Toto Salvio in a play in which he lacked mischief to expel a cautioned rival who had committed an offense when he was about to define heads-up against the goalkeeper.

Riquelme also spoke of the pass marketof the great objective that is the Libertadores Cupminimized the controversial video of Red and Almond playing a dive hours before the match against Colón and provided a high praise for Julián Álvarez of River Plate, whom he described as the best player in Argentine soccer. By last, questioned the previous board of directors of Boca Juniors, commanded by Daniel Angelici.

THE BEST PHRASES FROM THE INTERVIEW WITH TEAM ESPN:

The poor state of the playing field and the new location on the Velez field:

“We knew it was going to be tough on the pitch. We had to welcome him to our campus, we believe that the cluyb has done a very good job during this pass book and we are very happy with the group we have. For this reason, we knew that the field was not going to be good, because we finished the last match on December 12 and the works began on the 13th. An enormous job has been done, but there are things that we inherit. The field was flooded and this work should have been done years ago. We love this club and we are going to take care of it”.

“I want to thank the president of Vélez because we are going to play on his court on Sunday. He made himself available and that for us is very good and important. We are very grateful to the president of Vélez and all the leaders of his club”.

“We were clear that it was going to be like that, but we wanted to welcome him to our campus and for people to see the work that was done. We inherited this, last semester our field was flooded twice. It was what we had to do. We asked the players and they all wanted to play our first match at the Bombonera, we wanted people to see Benedetto and Pol (Fernández) return home”.

“We are going to have about 40 days until we can play on our court again. All this was planned, we do things with great calm and love for our club”.

“The field was not good, surely the match would have been another one with better condition because there would have been more control. We inherit many things and we do it in the best way. These works should have been done a long time ago. We inherited a club with debts and for two years we chose to be neat, go step by step. I did not study and out there I have to listen, but after two years we have a balance in our favor and we can bring players. That means that we are not doing things so badly.

The analysis of the match against Colón, a dart for the team that sinned innocently and indirectly for Salvio:

“I didn’t hear what Sebastián (Battaglia) said in the conference, but I think the first half was good. The first match of a tournament is always difficult and after 60 or 70 minutes you can feel tired. We are a very good team, innocent in the good sense of the word. We do not make time, we do not need, we do not cut the game. We have some very healthy team things, without a doubt. Yesterday when Colón’s goalkeeper came out playing the ball and Salvio was left in the crescent he was going to kick and they touched his back foot. I would have thrown everything back and asked for yellow, and I had to throw it out. But that comes out to me, I was cheating to play. I knew who was booked and who was not. Toto is healthier than water and he trusted that he could score the goal, these are little things that make you stronger. Football is a game, but you have to play it better every day”.

“Each one has to have the tricks in their place: the goalkeeper, the midfielder, the striker. Palermo, for example, was the biggest of all inside the area, and when you shot a cross it was thrown at you and you didn’t move anymore. That is being crafty. I played 10 and the day before I looked to see if the rival 4 or 3 closed well. That was my job. Then who was the defender who was cautioned and attacked him there. Each one has his job and I saw very clearly that I had to admonish him and expel him and the game (against Colón) was much better suited for us. He (Salvio) thought that he could score the goal and surely the match was over”.

“The boys finished well, none injured. We are very confident in all the tournaments ahead of us”.

“Colón’s goal comes from a corner that was hit badly, the ball doesn’t get up and then (el Pulga) Rodríguez kicks him knowing that he is a different player, with class and category. He always gives the feeling that the quality of him is very great and he always does something”.

“Farías plays well, it cost him a lot in the first half because our right back (Advíncula) attacked a lot in the first half. There he had a hard time. In the second half he felt more comfortable. Hopefully he continues to grow, he is a very good soccer player”.

Aldosivi the next rival and great praise for Martín Palermo:

“Aldosivi did well the other day against Velez, he played a very good match. With Martín (Palermo) we talked throughout this pass book, we are always available for whatever you need. He gave all Boca fans a lot of joy. Since when he directed in Chile he knows that he can count on us. I was lucky to play with him, he gave us a lot of joy and helped us a lot, he can count on me and the boys always”.

The situations of Villa, Pavón and Salvio’s contract soon to expire:

“About Villa we don’t go out to say who is for sale, we do normal things. He is a very important player for our club, but if offers for a loan come in the middle of a competition or if they offer you two mangoes, would you let them go? For us it is very important as are the others”.

“We cannot go around clarifying everything. We have had to put up with rejecting offers for Pavón all summer and nothing came for him. A year and a half ago I personally agreed with the Los Angeles Galaxy and the next day they called us and said that they were not going to continue talking because a complaint appeared. Now, in December, the people of Cruz Azul spoke for 15 or 20 days with the people who work with the player and they did not agree either. They say that we do not attend to anyone and I cannot clarify every day.

“We had to do a very important job trying to reinforce ourselves in the best way and we believe that we did a very good job. From now on, when the transfer book closes, with free players, we have to think about many players there, but it seems that Salvio will leave the club tomorrow and has a contract until June 30. We have several months ahead of him, he knows that we want him to continue with us, I told him personally on the plane to Saudi Arabia to play for Barcelona. We have other players who are also under contract and we want to improve and extend it, it’s not just Salvio”.

“We want to lengthen the contracts because otherwise, it happens that they go free. Or the example of Campuzano who has a year and a half left and he knows that we want to renew him. We are very happy because he came just to tell us that he wants to stay. He is a very serious professional, we love him for many years at the club. It will be important that he can renew ”.

The obsession with the Copa Libertadores and great praise for Pol Fernández and Julián Álvarez:

“Last year we were very excited about fighting (the Copa Libertadores). We have won both games against Minero but due to things that have happened we are left out. Whenever it starts we are very excited. We have several important players suspended but we put together a good squad. I always think that we are going to reach the end, we will see what we get”.

“The great players have to win the Cup, always. It is the trophy that makes you feel alive, if you win it, the Boca fan loves you for life, there is no money to pay for that. We are lucky, thanks to that all the bosteros give us a lot of love every day”.

“I saw Pol Fernández well, he always plays well. It’s the closest thing I’ve seen to Basualdo in all this time. He always plays well, they are the only players who seem to have a toothpick down the pear because they see everything that is happening. He heals doing relays and everything that happens in a soccer game. We talked a lot while he was at Cruz Azul and I always had the illusion of having him. He wanted to come back and he looks very happy”.

“Our best player is number 9 (because of Benedetto), and in general Julián Álvarez is undoubtedly the best”.

The controversial video of the chopped that Rojo and Almendra played:

“I didn’t see it, they didn’t tell me anything about it. I played the Libertadores in 2000, after winning the Argentine tournament in ’98 and ’99. When we played the first Cup in 2000 after many years, I only played that tournament and didn’t do it on Sunday. So I was going to play the tournament for money with my friends. Later he hurt my ankles and came to training and Bianchi asked me how he was doing, and I told him that he was doing well. I like to talk about football, they are people, I swear I didn’t see any of that “

“I’m going to die being a footballer. The boys want to play a picado with their friends and it doesn’t change me. I want them to enjoy our club, to give their best every time they play and to know that they have to take care of themselves and respect the fans. Occasionally playing dice with friends doesn’t hurt anyone. Friends are the greatest, you have to take care of them a lot. From time to time play ball and eat barbecues with them”.

His affection for Carlos Bianchi and if he would invite him on Sunday:

“He loves the fans of Vélez and Boca very much, and he loves me very much and I love him. This is his club and he can come every day. I talk to him quite often. All I want is for him to take care of himself. Now he is more relaxed, but he was afraid for a while because of the COVID-19 issue. I hope to visit him and spend time with him, that does me good too. He knows that I love him very much.”

The Superclásico with River:

“It will be an even classic just like always. They will compete to the fullest and the times that we had to play we were lucky enough to win and eliminate them. The last one on his court after the expulsion of Marcos (Rojo) got complicated for us. Then he scores a great goal Julián (Álvarez) and in the end it ends up being even. I have no doubt that each classic is enjoyed. I always think that whoever scores the first goal has a lot of chances to win”.

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