After losing to Corinthians in the final of the Copa Libertadores, Riquelme announced his intention to leave Boca Juniors. But Boca fans had other ideas.
They paraded (protested) outside of the club’s famous stadium — La Bonbonera in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At least 5,000 of them surrounded the stadium, chanting Boca slogans and altering them to fit the occasion. Eventually they were let inside, where cries of “Riquelme is Boca, Boca is not going!” were repeated ad nauseum.
Riquelme, 34, is a Buenos Aires native, who Boca fans claim as one of their own. He played nearly 350 times for the club in 12 seasons (in two stints), winning five league and three Copa Libertodores titles.
The playmaker is reportedly considering joining Brazilian club Flamengo. It could be a lucrative, final payday for the Argentine icon, but it’s unclear if Boca fans will grant him safe passage to the airport.
Watch Boca fans protest Riquelme’s departure in the video below (starting around 50 seconds). Don’t worry if your Spanish is rusty, the pictures tell the whole story.
Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.
