Juan Román Riquelme, president of Boca Juniors, spoke out following Vélez’s formal complaint to the AFA to contest the round of 16 match of the Copa Argentina, which ended with Boca’s victory on penalties.
In an interview with ESPN, Riquelme explained that he had not seen Vélez’s statement but was aware of its existence. He asserted that Boca rightfully won Wednesday’s match, highlighting the team’s strong performance and superiority in the game. ‘We are going through a moment of a lot of nerves: every match ends with a lot of nerves,’ said the leader.
Riquelme also addressed the performance of referees and the use of VAR, mentioning the pressure referees face in recent matches. He reiterated that Boca had an outstanding performance and that the match with Vélez should be regarded as such. ‘On Wednesday, Boca was clearly superior to their opponent and won deservedly,’ he added.
Additionally, the Boca president referred to a critical moment in the match when a Vélez player could have injured Leandro Paredes. ‘For me, it was a red card; nothing was said. When it happens against Boca, nothing is mentioned,’ he indicated, suggesting a lack of media attention towards certain refereeing decisions.
When questioned about his relationship with Vélez’s coaching staff, which includes Guillermo and Gustavo Barros Schelotto, as well as Federico Insúa, Riquelme was cordial and friendly, explaining that his focus is on the game itself and not on external controversies. ‘We have won, we are happy, and now we have to think about today’s match,’ he stated.
Regarding upcoming challenges, Riquelme emphasized the importance of concentrating on the next match against Racing and made it clear that the club’s focus remains on sporting competitions. ‘Matches are won on the field. Boca won clearly,’ he concluded.
Source: www.infobae.com
