Argentina: Riquelme Targets Libertadores Glory in 2009

Fresh from securing the Argentine Apertura, Boca Juniors playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme has his sights set on continent-wide success in next year's Copa Libertadores.

Riquelme, 30, already has three Libertadores triumphs with Boca to his name, but that has not quelled his desire to add to his medal collection with a fourth in 2009.

“What is it I want now? First of all, to rest, because this has been a very long year for me. After that, I’m sure we will go about preparing ourselves in the best possible way to win the Copa Libertadores," he stated on Boca's official website.

"I want to win it once again. And, also, to make sure I enjoy all of my successes more from now on."

In addition to winning the Apertura with Boca, Riquelme was also part of the Argentina Olympic squad that won the gold medal in Beijing. With that in mind, he believes that it has been one of the best years of his professional career.

"This year was my best, alongside 2000. In that year we won the Libertadores and the Intercontinental cup for the first time, as well as the local championship.

"This year I was lucky enough to win with the Argentine National Team and with my own club. I cannot ask for any more," he concluded.

Argentina: Maradona Has Roles For Riquelme and Veron

Argentina coach Diego Maradona has confirmed that Juan Roman Riquelme and Juan Sebastian Veron are both in his plans in the lead-up to the 2010 World Cup, as he feels it is vital to have an experienced playmaker in the side.

Riquelme, 30, and Veron, 33, were both absent from Maradona's first squad as coach due to club commitments, but having watched a number of games involving the pair in recent weeks, Maradona is keen to get them back in the national setup in 2009.

"It is clear to me that at least one of Riquelme or Verón must start, as they can take charge of the team, issue orders and take on the role of on-field coach," he told Ole.

Maradona has previously spoken about his affection for Riquelme, whom he believes "is in need of a rest," over the winter break, and so decided to elaborate his feelings toward Verón.

"Verón is one of the best in the world," he affirmed.

"We will have to find a place for him in the side, maybe in a three-man central midfield or something.

"Our goal is to find a place for as many players as possible that can do damage to our opponents, and I have a lot of options in that regard."

Maradona is also impressed with Verón's attitude, considering that the midfielder is reaching the twilight years of his football career.

"I speak with him and he has a lot of desire, a real thirst to play for the national side once more... despite his age, he has the desire of an 18 year old, keen to make an impact.

"He doesn't look like a playing drifting towards retirement. He runs more than anyone and if you add this to his other attributes then it makes him a complete player," he concluded.

Argentina: Riquelme Double Puts Boca Within Touching Distance Of Title

Two goals from influential playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme took Boca Juniors to victory over Racing Club on Sunday, keeping them two points clear of the chasing pack with just two games left to play in the Apertura championship.

Boca created the better chances in the opening half at the Bombonera, but it wasn't until the last ten minutes of the half that they finally got the opener. Riquelme played an exquisite through-ball to Luciano Figueroa, who was upended inside the area by Racing goalkeeper Pablo Migliore. Riquelme made no mistake from the spot, calmly slotting home to put the home side ahead.

Racing were not likely to keel over without a fight, and so it proved when they equalised just before the break. Maxi Moralez swung in a corner from the right and Franco Sosa rose to head home the leveller.

The second half began in a similar pattern to the first, as Boca piled the pressure on their opponents goal, although this time they got their reward much earlier. A hurried clearance inside the area saw the ball loop up into the air into the path of Riquelme, who volleyed the ball expertly into the bottom corner of the net to restore Boca's lead on the hour mark.

Racing offered little in the way of a goal threat in the remaining half an hour and Boca were able to comfortably hold onto their lead and claim a vital three points that puts them within touching distance of the Apertura crown.



Tigre are now Boca's primary challengers for the title as a Carlos Luna double helped them come back from a goal down to defeat bottom side River Plate 3-1 on Sunday. Diego Cagna's side are just two points behind the league leaders, although San Lorenzo could join them on 33 points if they are victorious in their rescheduled game with Huracan on Tuesday.

A torrential downpour caused the abandonment of the original fixture between the two sides, and they will resume with sixteen minutes on the clock, Huracan one goal to the good, but a man down following the sending off of Javier Pastore.

Sebastián Blanco scored a second half winner to keep Lanus' outside hopes of the title alive with a 2-1 victory over Arsenal, leaving them four points off the top.

Full Results:

Independiente 0-1 Banfield
Gimansia La Plata 1-0 Colon de Santa Fe
Gimansia de Jujuy 1-0 San Martin
Lanus 2-1 Arsenal
Tigre 3-1 River Plate
Argentinos 0-0 Rosario Central
Boca Juniors 2-1 Racing
Newell's Old Boys 1-0 Velez Sarsfield
Huracan P-P San Lorenzo (Huracan lead 1-0 with sixteen minutes played)
Godoy Cruz - Estudiantes (to played Wednesday 10th December)

Argentina: Maradona Gives Hope To Higuain and Others

New Argentina coach Diego Maradona has insisted that he is keeping tabs on a number of potential national team call-ups despite naming a fairly conservative squad for his first game in charge.

Maradona's selection for the friendly against Scotland on the 19th November bore a striking resemblance to the squads picked by former coach Alfio Basile, with seemingly little done to ease Argentina's recent problems up front.

Gonzalo Higuain almost single handedly dragged Real Madrid to a 4-3 victory over Malaga at the weekend with a four goal salvo, and Maradona suggested that he and others will get a chance to prove themselves during his reign.

"I am watching a lot of matches and if they can continue their current form at club level then the likes of Diego Milito, Gonzalo Higuaín, Mauro Zárate... these players will have opportunities," he told Radio la Red.

The international future of Juan Roman Riquelme has been up for debate in recent times, and Maradona admits that he needs to speak with the Boca Juniors playmaker before making a decision on whether or not to include him in his plans for the Scotland game.

"I must talk with Roman to see if he wants to be part of the team... we know that Roman has played a lot of games recently, so it is important that I speak with him first," he explained.

Argentina: Riquelme Sends Boca Joint Top On Emotional Weekend

A first half goal from Juan Roman Riquelme was enough to take Boca Juniors to a fully deserved 1-0 victory over San Lorenzo on Sunday afternoon, creating a three-way tie at the top of the Apertura table.

The result came just days after Boca president Pedro Pompilio had died of a heart attack, and the players were keen to express their sorrow at his death, with Riquelme revealing a t-shirt that read 'Thanks For Everything Pedro' upon scoring the winning goal.

Victory moved Boca level with San Lorenzo and Tigre on 26 points after Tigre suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Argentinos Juniors, while Newell's Old Boys and Lanus continue to maintain a watching brief in the title race following victories over Rosario Central and bottom club River Plate respectively.

Huracan celebrated their centenary in style with a 1-0 victory over Estudiantes on Saturday, but their victory was marred as three of their supporters were gunned down on their return journey from the match. One of the fans, identified solely as Rodrigo, is still in a critical condition following the attack, thought to have been purpertrated by barra bravas of their rivals San Lorenzo, while the other two victims are both in a stable condition.

Full results as follows:

Independiente 1-1 Godoy Cruz
Huracan 1-0 Estudiantes
Argentinos Juniors 2-0 Tigre
Lanus 2-0 River Plate
San Martin 1-1 Colon de Santa Fe
Gimnasia La Plata 0-1 Arsenal de Sarandi
Newell's Old Boys 1-0 Rosario Central
Boca Juniors 1-0 San Lorenzo
Gimansia de Jujuy 2-0 Banfield
Racing 0-0 Velez Sarsfield

Riquelme's Goal:

Riquelme Back At Boca

Boca Juniors held a press conference yesterday afternoon to announce the return of Juan Roman Riquelme to El Bombonera.

Riquelme has initially signed a three-year deal with Boca, but suggested that he wishes to stay with the club for the rest of his playing career.

The AFA are now lobbying FIFA to allow Riquelme to play for Boca in the World Club Championship, which Boca will leave for next Wednesday. FIFA initially rejected Boca's appeal, but with the weight of the Argentine Football Association behind the discussions, they seem relatively optimistic that Riquelme will be able to play in Japan.

Riquelme himself hopes that is the case:

"My dream is to play the World-wide championship in Japan, I have the belief. It is the first time that an Argentine team will participate and I want to help not only our club, but Argentine soccer as a whole. Hopefully, I will be allowed to play, but today only we must enjoy this return."

He may play some part in Boca's last game of the Apertura on Sunday, where they face league-leaders Lanus.

No Hard Feelings As Riquelme Leaves Villarreal; Confirms Tottenham Approach

Although he was at pain to explain that he has made sacrifices in order to pull off his return to Boca Juniors from Villarreal, Juan Riquelme has confirmed that he has no hard feelings toward his former employers.

Speaking to Spanish daily Marca, Riquelme said:

"I do not keep resentment to anybody. Here they have treated me well, but things happen in life."

He also confirmed that he had received an offer from Tottenham Hotspur in England:

"[Juande] Ramos was interested in taking me to the Tottenham. But my family and I wanted to return home."

Riquelme on the Verge of Boca Return

Reports coming out of Argentina suggest that Boca Juniors have agreed terms with Villarreal for the transfer of Juan Riquelme in January, with only a couple of loose ends to be tied up before the deal can be confirmed.

The primary concern seems to be the tax that Riquelme will pay on his earnings in Argentina. Although Boca are seemingly content to pay him the same as Villarreal, the greater income tax in Argentina will result in Riquelme losing one million dollars a year in comparison.

Riquelme himself has said that he wants the remaining issues to be resolved as soon as possible, with Boca hoping that Villarreal will pay the tax deficit in order for Riquelme to receive the extra money as a one off payment whilst still a Spanish citizen.

FIFA are thought to have denied Boca permission to use Riquelme in the upcoming World Cup Championship and he will instead move at the start of the January transfer window if the deal is completed.

Riquelme Pledges to Return to Boca

After confounding critics once more with a two-goal salvo in Argentina's win over Bolivia, Juan Riquelme has again stated his desire to return to Boca Juniors.

He is quoted in Spanish paper Marca as saying:

"I know that I will return to play with Boca Juniors, be it tomorrow, or within five months after my contract with Villarreal runs out.

"We're still talking about the same things, and in reality I hope that the issues will be resolved quickly.

"Boca Juniors is my home and I know that I'm going back at some point.

"Hopefully it'll be soon, because I want a solution in order to play every Sunday."

As reported yesterday, Boca are thought to have renewed talks with Villarreal in an attempt to bring Riquelme back to El Bombonera, but it remains to be seen whether Villarreal will be willing to let him leave at a price that Boca can afford. If not, it seems he is willing to sit it out until the end of the season if that is what it takes to return to his homeland.

Boca Re-Open Talks With Villarreal Over Riquelme

Boca Juniors are once again in discussions with Villarreal to try and bring Juan Riquelme back to the club.

The dream of Boca is to have the mercurial playmaker on board for December's World Cup Championship in Japan, but it seems more likely that he will move at the end of the January transfer window, in time for Boca's defence of the Copa Libertadores.

Villarreal are thought to be keen to hold out until the end of that window, in the hope that an attractive financial proposition from another European club is forthcoming. If that is not the case, then they may be willing to negotiate a less expensive deal with Boca, just to avoid having Riquelme rotting in the reserves for another six months.

Tottenham and Newcastle in England are thought to have made Villarreal offers for Riquelme, but the player himself only wants to move to a country that speaks Spanish or Italian, as he does not want his children to have to learn another language at this stage in their schooling.

Newcastle to Make Bid for Riquelme?

Newcastle United are the latest club to be linked with a move for Juan Riquelme in January, with The Sun reporting that the Premiership side are willing to pay £8million to take the Argentine to St James's Park.

However, it seems unlikely to me that there is any truth to this news.

Under Sam Allardyce, Newcastle have continued in the tradition of his Bolton side, playing relatively long balls forward and constantly scrapping to win the second ball. I fail to see how a playmaker, such as Riquelme, would fit into this tactical approach, as he would be constantly bypassed by the longer balls.

In addition to this, Riquelme has stated, on numerous occasions that he wishes to move to a team in a country where the native language is either Spanish or Italian, as he wants his children to grow up with these languages. Newcastle is neither of these, in fact some may argue they do not even speak normal English.

When you consider these issues, the likelihood of Riquelme going to Newcastle in January is severly limited.

Fluminense Offer Villarreal Thiago Neves in Return for Riquelme

As we reported earlier this week, Fluminense are determined to get Juan Riquelme on board in time for their Copa Libertadores campaign next year.

The latest deal that has been put to Villarreal, is a direct swap for attacking midfielder Thiago Neves, who is currently on loan to Fluminense from Parana Curitiba. If Villarreal agree to the deal, Neves will sign a permanent contract with Fluminense before being traded with Riquelme until the end of the Copa Libertadores.

Reports suggest that Riquelme may have spurned Fluminense once already as he still has his heart set on a move back to Boca Juniors to defend the crown that he won with them this year. However, this would require Boca to give up a player of the calibre of Rodrigo Palacio or Ever Banega, which they do not seem keen to do.

Fluminense Latest to Declare Interest in Riquelme

Fluminense have emerged as the latest side to take an interest in buying Juan Riquelme from Villarreal.

The Brazilian team are going all out to win the Copa Libertadores next year and are looking to recruit players which can help them achieve this goal. With Riquelme having taken Boca Juniors to success in the same competition this year, he has been identified as a prime target. Fluminense president Roberto Horcades explained:

"He is very complicated, the negotiations are difficult. We are going to do all that is possible to finalise it. He has great experience in the Copa Libertadores and it would help us very much."

Riquelme has stated that the club he joins in January must not pose a language problem for his children, thus probably ruling out a move to England or Germany. It is thought that Portuguese would not be a problem and that he therefore may be open to a move to Brazil.

Ballon D'Or Shortlist Announced by France Football

France Football have released a list of the fifty players in contention for the Ballon D'Or, otherwise known as the European Footballer of the year.

They seem to have relaxed the entry rules over previous years, as now players who do not ply their trade in Europe are also included in the list.

There are ten Latin American players included:

Daniel Alves (Sevilla, Brazil), Rogerio Ceni (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Diego (Werder Breman, Brazil), Kaka (Milan, Brazil), Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina), Guillermo Ochoa (America, Mexico), Juan Riquelme (Villarreal, Argentina), Robinho (Real Madrid, Brazil), Ronaldinho (Barcelona, Brazil), Carlos Tevez (Manchester United, Argentina).

Villarreal and Juventus to swap Riquelme for Tiago?

Spanish daily Marca is running a story claiming that Villarreal and Italian side Juventus are considering a swap deal involving Juan Riquelme and Tiago.

Neither player is receiving playing time at their current clubs and a switch on loan from January until the end of the season is apparently being discussed.

Diego Maradona has advised Riquelme to push for the move, with many believing that the playmaker's languid style would fit in perfectly with the slow pace of Serie A.

Although the swap seems a little one-sided in Juventus' favour, Villarreal seem keen to press ahead with the deal once the transfer window opens in January.

Villarreal: Riquelme will be sold in December

Despite his impressive performance for Argentina against Chile on Saturday, Spanish side Villarreal are still adamant that Juan Riquelme will be sold in the next transfer window.

Club spokesman Jose Manual Llaneza is quoted as saying: "It was good to see Roman score two great goals. Sincerely, I believe that at a football level he does not have to demonstrate anything to anybody. We all know his class".

However, it seems Riquelme's relationship with coach Manuel Pellegrini and the Villarreal board is irreconcilable. Llaneza confirmed this by saying: "A long time ago we made a decision and we have made our theory on this subject clear for a long time. This it is a subject of which Villarreal does not want to comment much, we hope that in December the player and the club will co-operate to find a solution to this, which is worthy for all".

Many clubs are thought to be lining up offers for Riquelme, with English sides Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, along with Spanish side Real Betis, thought to be leading the chase for his signature.

Riquelme free kicks against Chile: The Video

Please excuse the American TV coverage, with the cringe worthy commentator and his Sid Widell impersonating co-commentator, who brings on the artist and architect comparisons a little strong for my liking.



How do you Americans stomach this every week? I'd be watching every game on mute!

Anyway, here are the goals for your viewing pleasure:

Shortlist Announced for FIFA World Player of the Year

After Kaka scooped up the FIFPro award last week, he is now among the favourites to capture the FIFA World Player of the Year.

There were seven Latin American players nominated, listed below:

Juninho (Lyon, Brazil), Kaka (AC Milan, Brazil), Rafael Marquez (Barcelona, Mexico), Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina), Juan Riquelme (Villarreal, Argentina), Ronaldinho (Barcelona, Brazil), Carlos Tevez (Manchester United, Argentina).

Voting now begins, with the winner to be announced on the 17th December this year.

Media Watch: Riquelme to Man City

The People ran an exclusive story yesterday, claiming that Manchester City were lining up a £6million bid to prise Juan Riquelme away from Atletico Madrid.

Atletico Madrid? He is still registered to Villarreal!

Worse still, the story does actually describe the fact that his move to Boca Juniors didn't materialise, but then states that he signed for Atletico Madrid, which simply isn't true. He went for talks with Atletico on the transfer deadline day, but terms were not agreed, and he has languished in the Villarreal reserves ever since.

Unfortunately, this has now been copied by the other sites who have reported this news, including All3points and The Daily Mail.

The People is hardly renowned as an accurate source, but this is the sort of error a little research would go a long way to avoiding.

Riquelme in Argentina squad for World Cup qualifiers

With the South American world cup qualifying campaign due to kick off on the 13 October, many managers have started to announce their squads for the upcoming games.

In what may seem a surprising move, Argentina coach Alfio Basile has called up Juan Riquelme to his squad, despite the playmaker having not played competitive football for three months, due to his fallout with Villarreal and subsequent inability to secure a move away before the transfer deadline.

An article in Ole (Spanish link), has summarised that Basile doesn't believe that anyone else can offer the same playmaking ability as Riquelme, and he is therefore loathe to give up that option. Although he does have players like Pablo Aimar and Federico Insua, who can both fill the 'Number 10' position, no-one quite masters the position in the same way that Riquelme does.

Basile is keen to get Riquelme over to Argentina as soon as possible, so that he can assess his fitness, and make sure he is up to match speed, before their first qualifying game against former Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa's Chile.