With a 3-0 win over Independiente Rivadavia on Sunday night (17), in Mendoza, Boca Juniors ended the biggest victory fast in their 120 -year history. The result gave some breath to the club president, old idol Juan Román Riquelme, but he is still under pressure.
Until the weekend triumph, Boca came in a drought of almost four months. The previous triumph had occurred on April 19 – when Francis was still the Pope – against Estudiantes in La Bombonera, Buenos Aires.
Following, there were 12 games without winning, with five losses and seven draws. The series exceeded the previous negative record of ten games without wins, recorded twice, in 1957 and 2021.
The difficult moment lived by the team on the pitch, with early disqualification in the main tournaments disputed, fueled a serious crisis.
Players became the target of criticism from the fans and collided with the coaching staff, while leaders near Riquelme left the club in response to fans’ charges.
Calvary began with a defeat for the biggest rival on April 27, when River Plate made 2-1 at Superclassic at Monumental de Núñez.
The defeat resulted in the fall of coach Fernando Gago, who had been threatened since the disqualification to Alianza Lima in the preliminary phase of the Copa Libertadores.
In the Apertura tournament, the Argentine championship of the first half, the team was eliminated in the quarterfinals against Independiente, in the middle of Bombonera.
“Let everyone go, that no,” the fans shouted. Among the main targets were Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani and Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera, expensive signings that embarrassed the team by injury during the tournament and had no great performance when they entered the field.
For the sequence of the season, a few days from the beginning of the Club World Cup, Miguel Ángel Russo’s return was announced, coach in the Libertadores last achievement campaign in 2007.
The team even gave cheerleading signs in their debut, opening 2-0 against Benfica, but saw Argentines Di María and Otamendi tie. A defeat was then came to Bayern Munich.
Needing to win to maintain the chances of qualifying, Boca failed to get out of the draw against the Auckland City semi -marking team.
The goal of the Oceania team was scored by Christian Gray, a defender who reconciles his football career with the work of Physical Education teacher in New Zealand.
The melancholy elimination caused a new wave of criticism of fans and the press in the return to Argentina. “Shameful, they do not learn the lesson,” said the Argentine newspaper Olé.
In an attempt to calm the spirits, the club announced another experienced name to reinforce the squad, with the return of midfielder Leandro Paredes, 31, revealed in the base categories of Boca and World Champion in Qatar with the Argentina team.
Having earned about US $ 17.2 million for participation in the United States, and with a budget that foresees US $ 131 million in revenues, Boca spent approximately $ 9.4 million in reinforcements in the last transfer window, ended in late July.
Defender Marco Pellegrino, who belonged to Milan, but was loaned to Huracán, and Paredes, who was in Rome, were the most expensive signings, costing $ 4.1 million ($ 22.2 million) and US $ 3.5 million ($ 19 million), respectively.
The situation, however, continued to deteriorate.
In the Argentine Cup, the team embittered new elimination in the round of 16, against the modest Atlético Tucumán. He then amended another defeat to Huracán, by the enclosure, the second semester Argentine.
To the bad results on the pitch, there were problems in the locker room.
Former team captain, defender Marcos Rojo fell out with the coaching staff for being poorly used and terminated his contract.
Out of the plans, defender Cristian Lema and left -back Marcelo Saracchi were removed and started training separately from the rest of the cast.
“It’s time to change some things. We’ll have to find a way to get around it, work hard and try to improve,” said the coach.
In the match against Racing, which extended the negative series to 12 games without victory, new controversy.
No goals in the first stage, the coach decided, for the return of the break, for the exchange of striker Miguel Merentiel for Milton Giménez. Even so, Merentiel entered the lawn for the complementary stage – according to a unsuspecting version; According to another, in deliberate gesture to leave the coach against the fans.
Notified that he would not continue in the game, the player was unhappy towards the locker room, where he extended his fury attack against the glasses of a door.
In the second half, it was Racing who opened the scoring. The draw goal came only at 43, with Milton Giménez. Riquelme was seen in the Cabins of Bombonera efusively celebrating the draw goal.
“Rarely, Riquelme saw such a passionate version of himself. Many Boca fans have turned to social networks to highlight the curious situation. In some cases, with harsh criticism,” La Nacion newspaper pointed out.
Pressured as president, the former box 10 ended earlier this month with the club’s “football council”. The group had been created in late 2019 and was formed by former players close to him, bridge between the cast and the board.
With the victory against Independiente Rivadavia, Boca left the lantern of his group in the enclosure and took the tenth place, giving Riquelme some tranquility, albeit momentary.
“This group deserved it, and it was important to give the fans a celebration,” said Captain Leandro Paredes.
Only with the clausura still in dispute during the second half, Boca will have its next appointment on Sunday (24), against Banfield, in Bombonera.
If the team again stumbles, Riquelme will be charged again to promote changes in the coaching staff.
Names with recent passage in Brazilian football, such as Luis Zubeldía and Gustavo Quinteros, are pointed out as possible substitutes in the case of resignation of Russian.
