A night of bold statements and big projects
In a late-night interview from Córdoba, Argentina, Juan Román Riquelme, the president of Boca Juniors, spoke at length ahead of the team's Copa Argentina round-of-16 match against Vélez Sarsfield at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium. With his trademark style, the club legend addressed current affairs, responded to critics, and confirmed major projects.
Transfer market: satisfied, but open to a defender
Riquelme said he is happy with the transfer window and the current squad. He clarified they won't sign replacements for every injury, like the one to Tomás Aranda, and highlighted the arrivals of Álvaro Montero (goalkeeper), Leandro Lozano (full-back), Edinson Cavani (striker), and Enner Valencia (World Cup-winning forward). However, he didn't rule out adding a central defender before the transfer window closes if the right opportunity arises.
“I'm at Boca, I don't look at what others do,” he replied when asked about River Plate's big spending.
Refereeing and affection for Vélez
The president avoided commenting on the controversy in the Vélez vs. Deportivo Riestra match but expressed his hope that the referee will have a good performance tonight. He also showed affection for Vélez's coaching staff, which includes Guillermo and Gustavo Barros Schelotto and Federico Insúa.
La Bombonera: expansion to 80,000 seats
One of the most anticipated announcements was about the La Bombonera expansion. Riquelme confirmed the project to increase capacity to 80,000 spectators is still on track, with a fourth tier and access towers. “We already have permission for the train tracks and the land union for the new sports center,” he said, adding they are at the “last step to start construction.” He didn't give a timeline for the stadium work but insisted they are still working on it.
Membership system and ticket resale accusations
Riquelme defended the new season-ticket reservation system, which removed the attendance filter, and flatly denied ticket resale accusations. In an emotional tone, he made a statement that went viral: “La María (his mother) knows she has a son who is neither a thief nor corrupt.” He also mentioned that a prosecutor has already cleared him in those cases.
Messi's retirement and a possible move to Boca
The Boca president also spoke about Lionel Messi's retirement from the Argentine national team. He thanked him for everything he achieved and called him “unique and unrepeatable.” On a possible move to Boca, he was cautious: “We have to leave him alone, let him keep playing in the United States.” Riquelme admitted he has a very good relationship with Messi and would have loved to play alongside him more.
Other topics: team, youth academy, and Zeballos
Regarding the team, Riquelme said he is happy with their level, though he acknowledged they play “with a lot of nerves” due to the heavy match schedule. He praised the work of the youth academy coaches and the patience with young players like Leonel Flores. On Exequiel Zeballos' departure, he confirmed the player wanted to move to Europe (Monza in Italy) and that they understood. He also said Tomás Aranda returned “more serious” after sharing time with Messi in the national team.