Argentina squad vs. Paraguay (6th September 2008) and Peru (10th September 2008), managed by Alfio Basile

Goalkeepers:
Roberto Abbondanzieri (Getafe, Spain)
Juan Pablo Carrizo (Lazio, Italy)
Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands)

Defenders:
Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol, Spain)
Gonzalo Rodríguez (Villarreal, Spain)
Daniel Díaz (Getafe)
Martín Demichelis (Bayern München, Germany)
Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United, England)
Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid, Spain)

Midfielders:
Javier Mascherano (Liverpool, England)
Sebastián Battaglia (Boca Juniors)
Javier Zanetti (Internazionale, Italy)
Fernando Gago (Real Madrid)
Esteban Cambiasso (Internazionale)
Jonás Gutiérrez (Newcastle United)
Angel Di María (Benfica, Portugal)
Andrés D'Alessandro (Internacional do Porto Alegre, Brazil)
Juan Román Riquelme (Boca Juniors)

Forwards:
Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Spain)
Carlos Tevez (Manchester United, England)
Sergio Agüero (Atlético de Madrid, Spain)
Lisandro López (Porto, Portugal)
Germán Denis (Napoli, Italy)
Rodrigo Palacio (Boca Juniors)

So, Angel Di María's starring role at the Olympic Games has earned him a call-up to the full national side - now who says it's a meaningless competition? Andrés D'Alessandro's early form following his move Inter in Brazil has also seen him win back a place in the selección, for whom he hasn't played since the 2004 Copa América. Lucho González, meanwhile, is left out again. No, I've not idea either...

Rodrigo volvió a la cancha con todo nuevamente, desbordó como nos tiene acostumbrados y hasta convirtió un gol…a los 30 minutos aproximadamente fue reemplazado por Noir. Desde el banco alentaba a los compañeros con muchos nervios y cuando finalizó el partido lo festejó con todo. Fue muy valorable lo que hicieron lo jugadores para con Martin Palermo, que finalmente no estuvo en la cancha viendo el partido, le dedicaron la copa muy merecidamente con 2 banderas y con cantos de aliento.

Con este nuevo triunfo Boca iguala al Milan con 18 copas internacionales.

El próximo partido es ante Huracán el domingo a las 14hs, no está confirmado si Rodrigo va a jugar o no…por lo visto el técnico quiere seguir cuidándolo. Existe una posibilidad de que el Coco lo convoque para jugar con la selección Argentina por las eliminatorias del mundial 2010.

Saludos

Martín Palermo's out for a while, but Boca Juniors provided themselves with a morale boost in the wake of a traumatic few days following their hero's injury. After Palermo's record-equalling goal set them on their way to a first-leg victory in Sarandí, it was back to La Bombonera for the second leg of the Recopa Sudamericana, and despite Arsenal scaring them in the second half and threatening to take the tie to penalties, another club favourite - Juan Román Riquelme - gave his public a return worthy of an Olympic gold medallist, whacking in a majestic free kick for a 2-2 draw, and a 5-3 aggregate victory.

Boca raced into the lead, and it was Palermo's replacement, youngster Lucas Viatri, who combined with Rodrigo Palacio, cutting down the channel and pulling the ball back to the centre for Palacio to score. Boca led 4-1 on aggregate, Arsenal were more obliged than ever to come out, and the match opened out. In spite of the visitors' best efforts, though, Boca were controlling things on home soil and, having kept the threat from Arsenal at arm's length, went to the dressing room with the same advantage at half time.

In the second half Arsenal missed Luciano Leguizamón, who didn't return to the pitch having picked up a knock during the first half, and they continued to be pegged back by the hosts in the early part of the second period. Then, all of a sudden, shortly before the hour mark, things changed. After Riquelme had hit the crossbar after a near length-of-the-pitch run, Arsenal countered and Sebastián Carrera took advantage of a poorly judged charge from Boca's goal by Mauricio Caranta, levelling things up on the night and giving Arsenal hope, however slim, of taking it to penalties.

The goal revitalised Arsenal, Mauricio Matos going close in the very next attack and missing another minutes after, but he made no mistake the third time. After Riquelme had again passed up a scoring opportunity - electing to go for power with a free kick after Carlos Báez had brought him down (the Arsenal centre back seeing red for his troubles) and hitting the wall - goalscorer Carrera turned provider and his cross was headed in by Matos. 2-1 to Arsenal, and at 4-3 on the night another goal for the visitors would have taken the tie to penalties.

Boca were on the ropes, with Riquelme fading fast from the match as the fatigue of the journey back from Beijing perhaps began to take its toll. Caranta saved from Javier Yacuzzi as Arsenal continued to pressure, but late on things began to unravel at last, and played into Boca's hands. Ten minutes before the end, Christian Díaz picked up a second yellow card to reduce the visitors to nine men, following a foul on Viatri. Thereafter, the result ceased to be in doubt, and, even with Boca getting back into control, the coup de grace arrived from a set piece. With a little help from Arsenal 'keeper Cristian Campestrini, Riquelme netted the equaliser on the night to give Boca a 5-3 win on aggregate, and their 18th international trophy - they draw back level with A.C. Milan in the international roll of honour.

Check back later on Thursday for the goal video.

Palacio também é hipótese para o ataque

O Benfica procura um avançado e a poucos dias do fecho do mercado de transferências, surge também o nome de Rodrigo Palacio, do Boca Juniors, como possível reforço.O avançado de 26 anos é um alvo difícil, pois trata-se de um nome bastante cobiçado no futebol europeu.O jogador já esteve nos planos do Barcelona e recentemente foi falado o interesse da Lazio e da Roma no concurso do argentino

Saludos!

Y así elpartio finalizó 3 a 1 con una ventaja favorable para el conjunto xeneize, falta el partido de vuelta que es el 27 de agosto en la Bombonera.

AGENDA DEL PLANTEL: TROFEO JOAN GAMPER (BARCELONA)

-Jueves 14/8: salida a las 21.45 hs. desde Ezeiza en un vuelo de Iberia, vía Madrid, y llegada a Barcelona el -Viernes 15 a las 17.20 hs. Hospedaje: Hotel Princesa Sofía

-Sábadodo 16: 22 hs. Partido vs. FC Barcelona, en el Nou Camp.

-Domingo 17: 9.40 hs. Salida desde Barcelona en un vuelo de Iberia, vía Madrid, y llegada a Ezeiza el mismo domingo a las 19.40 hs.

Rodrigo si va a viajar a jugar el trofeo Joan Gamper; hoy el presidente de Boca Pedro Pompilio en la previa del partido dijo que Rodrigo NO SE VA: “El delantero se va a quedar en Boca, está muy bien, muy cómodo en la institución”

Negó la posibilidad que en el viaje a Barcelona se negocie una posible transferencia.

Saludos

In a glorified all-Argentine continental pre-season friendly, Boca Juniors hosted Arsenal de Sarandí in Racing's ground on Wednesday night, in the first leg of the Recopa Sudamericana, played between the winners of the previous year's (not season, confusingly) Copas Sudamericana and Libertadores. Boca ran out 3-1 winners after an early flurry saw them leading 2-1 after just twenty minutes, and Martín Palermo entered the record books at last.

The really newsworthy point came not so much from the scoreline, or from another strong performance to follow up the 4-0 thwacking Boca handed to Gimnasia de Jujuy on the opening weekend of the Apertura on Sunday, but from Boca striker Martín Palermo. In the 19th minute, Jesús Dátolo was brought down in the box. Palermo stepped up to take the penalty, and in typical fashion, stroked it calmly against the diving goalkeeper's body. This time, though, the ball bounced back to him and he made no mistake from closer in, to put Boca 1-0 up. But more to the point, this was Palermo's 194th competitive (ahem) goal in Boca's colours. As such, Francisco Varallo's record as the leading goalscorer in the professional era of the club's history has finally been equalled.

Facundo Sava equalised five minutes later, before Rodrigo Palacio, back from injury, made it 2-1 to Boca. In the second half, Sebastián Battaglia wrapped things up.

Recopa Sudamericana, first leg: Boca Juniors 3 - 1 Arsenal Fútbol Club

[dailymotion id=x6flmg]

Ayer habló en SportCenter- ESPN y dijo lo siguiente:

[dailymotion id=x6bmih&related=1]

Saludos

Recentemente surgiram rumores colocando o jogador no Barcelona, mas até agora não existe nada de concreto pelo craque. E para desmentir e acalmar um pouco mais a torcida xeneize Rodrigo deu uma entrevista exclusiva a ESPN, e o blog futebol argentino traz para você admirador do Futebol Argentino esta entrevista com exclusividade.

- Quando se fala tanto de você e do início do campeonato é uma pergunta só. Nós vamos te ver com a camisa do Boca, o que pode nos dizer?

R - Digo que sim. Hoje sou jogador do Boca, não chegando nenhuma oferta nova vou seguir no clube.

- Sendo Palacio, imagino que não deve ser fácil, que se fale tanto, que se pode ler nos jornais, que se falem no rádio e na televisão. O que sente, como recebe tudo isso?

R - Não, eu falo com meu representante e ele fala com Pedro e a maioria das coisas que se dizemsão mentiras, são coisas falsas.

- Hoje não existe nenhuma oferta, mas se tiver alguma no futuro, você analiza e começa o campeonato com o Boca ou não fica até o final?

R - Como sempre, hoje estou no Boca e não há nada, vou seguir no clube. Se na semana que  vem, nos próximos dias aparece uma oferta e nos convence, o clube e a mim, bom se verá.

- Quando chegou no Boca diseste " eu gostaria de seguir os pasos de Guillermo e ficar eternamente com esta camiseta". Tem vontade ou pensa que se for agora ou no fim do ano vai ser difícil este momento?

R - Se eu tenho que ir, o futebol da europa é algo muito lindo para qualquer jogador. Aparte, jogar em outra liga e ver se posso ir bem ou não. E se eu decidir ficar, eu sempredisse que aqui é muito bom e, que me tratam muito bem, não tenho pressa em ir, estou muito bem aqui.

Confira a entrevista no site da ESPN

Saludos

La pubialgia es una afección que se ubica en la zona de la pelvis, esta se encuentra formada por dos piezas óseas, llamadas huesos iliacos, que unen la columna conectándose al sacro y a las caderas, el pubis es la unión de estos huesos por encima de los órganos genitales, en el sector anterior de la pelvis y en la zona en la que se insertan gran cantidad de tendones, la inflamación en la unión del tendón en el hueso, es el productor del dolor; los tendones que se involucran en la pubalgia son los de los músculos abdominales por arriba y los de los músculos aductores, esos que se encuentran en la parte interna de los muslos, estas 4 riendas traccionan permanentemente y en forma constante la articulación del pubis de donde se sostienen; normalmente un tendón se inserta en el periostio, que vendría a ser la cascara del hueso, en ocasiones una tracción, un tirón vigoroso de los músculos, arranca, literalmente el periostio, complicando aún más las posibilidades de su curación.

Las causas más comunes por las que esto se produce son, en los deportistas, el patear inadecuadamente un balón, realizar una apertura de piernas demasiado exigida, hacer abdominales exageradamente y también, alguna caída en la que se distiendan estos músculos.

El tratamiento para esta afección consiste, primero en darle descanso a la zona afectada por un tiempo prolongado, minimamente, un mes más, posterior al tiempo en que desaparecieron los dolores, también los tratamientos kinesiológicos como ondas cortas, infrasonidos y rayo láser, son muy útiles, las maniobras de quiropraxia bien realizadas y en los puntos exactos dan un alivio significativo, las infiltraciones es otra de las armas efectivas y por último, en caso que todo fracase, la cirugía pone punto final a la pubialgia.

El entrenador no está preocupado en que si Rodrigo se va o no de Boca, ahora la preocupación es la lesión que sufre y el no haberse podido entrenar normalmente...no sabe si llegará para el arranque del torneo.  Rodrigo durante los primeros días Washington se lo veía alegre pero en estos últimos días se lo ha visto intranquilo.

Con respecto a la novela en que si se va o se queda el presidente de Boca Pedro Pompilio dijo lo siguiente en 90 minutos de fútbol hacen unos días: "Mi pálpito es que Palacio se queda en Boca". Ahora supuestamente llegó una oferta del Valencia (España)...seguimos con las suposiciones.

Ahora hay que esperar y ver como evoluciona con el tratamiento...

Saludos

Se suspendieron los amistosos que Boca iba a jugar en Europa y cambia el rumbo: ahora jugará en Guadalajara y en Culiacán...una lástima hubiera sido interesante jugar contra el Atlético de Madird.

Ahora a seguir esperando por si sale algo nuevo...pero para mí esta novela se terminó por ahora y por lo visto vamos a poder disfrutar de nuestra joya otra temporada.

Saludos

Brazil and Argentina convened for their first meeting of the qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa on Wednesday night, with Argentina aware that a win would take them back to joint top of the table alongside Paraguay, after the Guaraní fell to a shock 4-2 defeat to Bolivia in La Paz hours earlier. Both sides were short on confidence, and in the first half especially, it showed. After the break, Argentina attacked with more urgency, led by their two feuding standard-bearers, Lionel Messi and Juan Román Riquelme. In the end, though, there was no way through the Brazilian backline.

The first half was distinguished only by the failure of Colombian referee Oscar Julián Ruíz to award the hosts a penalty midway through the opening period, after Gabriel Heinze piled into an opposing forward but escaped censure. Argentina lacked imagination in their passing, too often looking long to Julio Cruz as Juan Román Riquelme and Lionel Messi, following strong rumours of a rift between them in the run-up to the match, failed to click.

Argentina looked like a side short on confidence and Brazil, although they had by far the better of the chances, didn't seem entirely committed to the idea of breaking their opponents down, preferring to prey on defensive lapses and their own direct passing. Riquelme came in for one or two rough challenges from the opposing defenders and midfield, but by and large it was a dull first half rather than a particularly scrappy or niggly one. At half time, 0-0 seemed a perfect way of summing the match up, not withstanding that Robinho had let a good chance go begging to give his side the lead, just failing to capitalise on a mistake from Roberto Abbondanzieri, who saved well.

In the second half, Argentina began to come alive. Messi was given greater freedom to roam, and Riquelme pushed further up the pitch and offered more support from the midfield. Minutes in, Messi got free down the right, skinned left-back Gilberto for pace and got almost to the byline before being brought down by him for a free kick. Eleven minutes after the restart, Riquelme got the ball and flicked it over the Brazilian defence for Cruz, who controlled well but blasted a shot narrowly over the crossbar from ten yards out. Juan, already booked, was fortunate to escape a second yellow after taking Messi out as the Barcelona youngster raced towards the Brazil box.

Two attacks - one at each end - around the 70th minute showed how the match improved from first half to second. First, Lionel Messi picked up the ball in the midfield and ran at Brazil's defence for the umpteenth time in the half, laying the ball back for Riquelme just before entering the box, but the Boca man's shot was in the end comfortably gathered by Júlio César. Minutes afterwards, Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano, who'd just come on for Adriano, hit a flying volley which scuffed the ground but which, all the same, Roberto Abbondanzieri had to get down well to hold. With both sides trading free kicks and attacks, the match was heating up.

In the 83rd minute, Argentina appeared to accept that a point wasn't a bad result to take home, when Riquelme was withdrawn for his Boca clubmate Sebastián Battaglia. Just a minute earlier, Riquelme had combined with Messi and Javier Zanetti for Leo to cut the ball back for Sergio Agüero. It was almost a phenomenal goal, but the Atlético man couldn't keep his shot down. Brazil, throughout, were continuing to get the ball up the pitch frequently, but their attacks invariably ended up in the hands of Abbondanzieri before any really dangerous situations looked like developing.

Following Riquelme's withdrawal, it was Messi who acted as the enganche for the remainder of the match, and whilst no goals followed, he hardly did his cause for the future any harm as Argentina continued their vastly improved second half showing. A minute into stoppage time, he might have won it, beating a man and sending in a vicious shot which was punched straight back into his path by Júlio César; Messi blasted the rebound just wide, before being replaced by Rodrigo Palacio. It was the final action of the match.

Brazil were the better of two very poor sides in the first half; Argentina far superior in the second without managing to find the finishing touch in the opposing box. Plenty to dwell on for Alfio Basile, but for now his team remain second in the qualification table, and the 'Messi or Riquelme?' question can be laid to rest for another couple of months...

Following the experimentation of the North American friendlies last week, it was back to serious business for the selección on Sunday night, with a World Cup qualifier against Ecuador which was expected to be a mere warm up for the midweek clash away to Brazil. It proved a little trickier than that, though, with Argentina's poor performance epitomised by a pathetic showing from Boca Juniors playmaker Juan Román Riquelme. Ecuador scored a brilliant goal midway through the first half to take the lead, and held it all the way into the fourth minute of stoppage time, when Riquelme's Boca club-mate Rodrigo Palacio did what none of his highly-paid, Europe-based colleagues had managed during the match, and stuck the ball in the net with almost the final kick of the game.

The Argentine press are singularly unimpressed by the performance, which nonetheless leaves Argentina second in the South American World Cup qualifiying table behind Paraguay, who beat Brazil 2-0 in Asunción after playing the entire second half with ten men. Having experimented with a 3-4-1-2 without Juan Román Riquelme for the two matches in the States, in which Lionel Messi played just behind Julio Cruz and Sergio Agüero, Alfio Basile for some reason reverted to the Boca man when it really mattered - but in the same system, and with both the little men ahead of him. He was rewarded for the change of plan by Riquelme's worst performance for his country since he returned to the squad for last year's Copa América, one so bad that it's now being questioned whether Román should even travel to Brazil.

The Boca playmaker had an illness prior to his club's Copa Libertadores semi-final second leg with Fluminense which left him looking noticeably off the pace in Rio de Janeiro, and led to remarks about the need to 'eat a lot' to regain the 3 kilos he'd lost during the week of his stomach virus. Why, in this condition, Basile kept him in the side, immediately after having played two matches with a system designed precisely to work out what would happen without JRR, is anyone's guess. Riquelme in tandem with Juan Sebastián Verón (Argentina's best player, on his own return to the national setup), and Messi in tandem with Agüero - and yet the side lacked creativity...

For all that, the quality of Ecuador's opener wasn't in dispute. A wonderful passage of play saw the ball knocked down by Carlos Tenorio for Patricio Urrutia, who lashed a dipping shot from twenty yards out which flew over Roberto Abbondanzieri and into the Argentine goal. Ecuador defended solidly and worked hard all over the pitch, and with Riquelme's ineffectiveness exacerbated by Basile's unwillingness to substitute him - instead it was Verón who made way for the eventual saviour Palacio - Argentina suffered. In the final minutes of the match, Riquelme - normally the first and only candidate for set-pieces - wasn't even taking the free kicks. What, then, was the point in his being on the pitch?

Deep into stoppage time, at last, came the goal that prevented Argentina suffering their first defeat in El Monumental since the infamous 5-0 reverse to Colombia in 1993. Abbondanzieri hoofed a long ball upfield, which bypassed Riquelme and bounced forward for Agüero to throw himself at, deflecting it round the defender as Palacio ran into the box and hit it, first time, without thinking. José Francisco Cevallos in the visiting goal got a hand to it but couldn't keep it out, and Argentina were saved.

With Paraguay beating Brazil in spite of giving them a one-man advantage, the situation could be worse going into Wednesday's match - both sides will be low on confidence rather than merely Argentina. But if they're going to get anything from the trip to Belo Horizonte, Basile had better start thinking long and hard about which forward formation he prefers - the ones who struggled so much last night, or that which tore Mexico apart a couple of weeks ago...

 Goalkeepers:
Roberto Abbondanzieri (Getafe, Spain)
Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands)
Juan Pablo Carrizo (River Plate)

Defenders:
Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo de La Coruña, Spain)
Gonzalo Rodríguez (Villarreal, Spain)
Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid, Spain)
Javier Zanetti (Internazionale, Italy)
Nicolás Burdisso (Internazionale)
Martín Demichelis (Bayern München, Germany)
Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol, Spain)

Midfielders:
Fernando Gago (Real Madrid)
Javier Mascherano (Liverpool, England)
Maxi Rodríguez (Atlético de Madrid, Spain)
Ever Banega (Valencia, Spain)
Sebastián Battaglia (Boca Juniors)
Jonás Gutiérrez (Real Mallorca, Spain)
Juan Sebastián Verón (Estudiantes de La Plata)
Juan Román Riquelme (Boca Juniors)
José Sosa (Bayern München)

Forwards:
Sergio Agüero (Atlético de Madrid)
Lisandro López (Porto, Portugal)
Julio Cruz (Internazionale)
Fernando Cavenaghi (Girondins Bordeaux, France)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Spain)
Rodrigo Palacio (Boca Juniors)

I'll be away from Friday night until Tuesday but will do my best to put up a summary of the press reaction to the Ecuador match (and videos of any goals) on Monday, and will of course be giving the Brazil match my full attention.

Díaz, who left San Lorenzo at the start of last week, looks set to be replaced by Miguel Angel Russo, the former Vélez Sársfield and Boca boss. Club president Rafael Savino began discussing the name of Díaz's successor after their quarter-final Copa Libertadores exit - if Russo says no, Leonardo Astrada and Américo Gallego are the next down the list - in a Buenos Aires bar on the corners of Calles (streets) Entre Ríos and, fittingly, México, which is where Russo's predecessor Díaz seems to be off to (the country, not the street).

There's not a lot to say about the rumours that Díaz is about to take over at América, except that the Mexican media are reporting it as a done deal, and with Televisa, the largest media company in Latin America, owning several of Mexico's biggest football clubs - including América themselves - that probably means it's a fairly safe bet. Díaz will be unveiled, according to the reports, on Friday after club president Michel Bauer travelled to Buenos Aires on Tuesday to discuss his contract.

Potentially good news for América, then, and there's some very good news indeed for fans of Argentina's two biggest clubs. Diego Buonanotte, the best player and top scorer of River's championship-winning side, has expressed his wish to remain in Núñez for the time being, and the club are happy to accomodate him, whilst Rodrigo Palacio isn't budging from Boca Juniors - for now.

Buonanotte was struggling to get into River's reserve team a little over a year ago, but his improvement since an amazing display in the Apertura superclásico has been phenomenal, and he's come on leaps and bounds in particular since Diego Simeone took over at the helm of the club. 12 months ago, a loan spell at Olimpo de Bahía Blanca was being discussed. Now, what does River vice-president Mario Israel have to say about El Enano's place in the team? 'Buonanotte isn't for sale. He's staying at River.' He'll surely be in Europe sooner or later - but the emphasis, for now, is on 'later'.

Boca meanwhile have rejected an offer from Lazio for €14 million, an astronomical sum for a South American club to turn down, and Palacio hasn't expressed any disappointment at all - he's told reporters that if he leaves Argentina, it will be to play in Spain, not in Italy. Palacio - who's on an equally high US$1 million-per-season contract, is valued by Boca more highly than the fee Lazio offered, particularly after the transfers in the last year-and-a-half of Fernando Gago (to Real Madrid, US$27m) and Ever Banega (to Valencia, US$26m). The fact that he's not as good as either of those players isn't putting them off insisting that, unless a significantly higher offer comes in, Palacio isn't going anywhere.

Les dejo el video de Rodrigo cuando fue premiado, también hace referencia a su supuesta ida a Europa:

[dailymotion id=x5qv8q&related]

Saludos

Boca nuevamente fue superior y dominó la mayor parte del partido...acorralaron a los brasileros en su arco. Uno viendo solamente el resultado 3 a 1 piensa que nos bailaron, pero en realidad fue un resultado muy mentiroso. La mayor parte del partido Boca enmudeció al estadio Maracaná completo, ni hablar cuando convirtió el gol Palermo...se escuchaban solamente los hinchas xeneizes, hasta enfocaban a hinchas del Flumi llorando. Pero el conjunto Brasilero pudo descontar con un tiro libre inalcanzable. Boca atacó sin parar, tuvimos muchísimas ocasiones de gol pero o daba en el palo, atajaba el arquero o la sacaba en la línea algún jugador del Flumi. El segundo gol fue insólito, Conca le pegó horrible  a la pelota y justo dio en la pierna de Ibarra que estaba haciendo un gran partido...insólito!. Boca no dejó de buscar y de asfixiar al contrario...cuando estaba por finalizar el partido Rodrigo cometió un error que costó el tercer gol del conjunto Brasilero...un error que no lo debe dejar de dar vueltas en la cabeza. De todas maneras teníamos que empatar 2 a 2 para ir a penales.

Boca se quedó fuera de la final de la Copa (injustamente), pero con la cabeza bien en alto, me da orgullo ser hincha de Boca y tener a estos jugadores que dejan todo en la cancha. Anoche cuando terminó el partido me quedé con bronca pero a la vez contenta porque el equipo dejó todo.

Hoy cuando vi la noticias veía las gastadas de los hinchas de River, de las cuales me causaban risa porque son los menos indicados para venir a gastar, lo que hubieran dado ellos por estar en semifinales y por tener el equipo que tenemos…pero bueno no les queda otra que festejar derrotas ajenas (aunque últimamente ni eso podían festejar).

Bueno nada más que decir, solamente que estoy orgullosa de ser hincha de Boca….

El próximo partido por el torneo local es ante Lanús como visitantes.

Saludos

Copa Libertadores holders Boca Juniors crashed out of the tournament at the semi-final stage on Wednesday night after a thrilling second half in the Maracanã which saw them take the lead through Martín Palermo before hosts Fluminense hit back with a three-goal blitz in the closing half hour. Fluminense, who've never got this far in the tournament before, will play another lot of first-time finalists for the trophy, after LDU Quito got past Club América of Mexico on away goals in the other semi on Tuesday. The Flu-Boca match report, and goal video, are right here.

The first half was one of few real chances at either end, although Boca had far the better of the play. Refusing to bow to the history of the Maracanã, they took the game to Fluminense from the off, and in response all the hosts could offer was a few limp long-balls from the defence which occasionally fell kindly for the attackers when they reached the Boca half of the pitch.

Flu's first real chance came after around quarter-of-an-hour of the opening period when Washington controlled a Gabriel centre in the centre of the penalty box and hacked it just over the crossbar. In response, for all their dominance of possession and what would (were this a rugby match) be deemed 'territory', Boca could only muster a few crosses from deep, either headed into home goalkeeper Fernando Henrique's grateful hands, or dealt with easily by the Brazilian defence. For Boca's part, Fabián Vargas and, in particular, Sebastián Battaglia were all but unpassable in midfield. With ten minutes of the half left, Juan Román Riquelme had a free kick in a perfect position for him, but after taking an age to decide what to do with it, the curved it high and out for a goal kick.

Shortly before the break, Boca had a corner which Martín Palermo rose to meet with power and send the ball towards the bottom far corner of the goal, but Fernando Henrique made the most eyecatching of a few decent saves in the half to deny him and keep the score at 0-0 on the night. Shortly afterwards, Gabriel, at the other end, cut in from the right and flicked the ball over an opponent's head before volleying it on for Cicero in the right-hand channel of the Boca box. The attacker might have cut the ball back across the box, but instead shot for the near post and deservedly missed. Flu might have taken more, but they wouldn't really have deserved it. They went in at the break looking like a side who knew 0-0 would see them through, but not entirely sure how they'd got this far and were still level.

In the second period, Flu started better, working the ball forward in the first minute, but took a while to get going and were stunned when Palermo opened the scoring, squeezing a header underneath Fernando Henrique from a Jesús Dátolo cross. Boca celebrated, aware that they had a goal that, on the balance of play up to that point, should have been decisive.

But from that point forth, Fluminense were a totally different team. They attacked with renewed vigour and striker Dodô was sent on in place of holding midfielder Ygor to give their counters more focus. Within minutes, they were level again, from a spectacular curling free kick twenty-five yards out, clean into the top corner, scored not by Thiago Neves, the usual free kick specialist for the carioca side, but Washington. With the score at 1-1 on the night, Flu were heading through on away goals, but rather than revert to the form they'd shown in the first half, they pushed on from there.

There was time for a couple of attacks and counter-attacks in what had suddenly, in the space of the six minutes between Palermo's and Washington's goals, become a fantastically open match. And then in the 26th minute, nine minutes after drawing level, Flu took the lead. A quick ball out from the back to the left reached Darío Conca, and the former River Plate man had the better of the Boca backline for pace. As he advanced on goal he hit a cross for the onrushing Dodô which Hugo Ibarra, racing back at right-back to try and cover him, deflected past Migliore into the Boca net.

Boca attacked from there, Fernando Henrique earning his keep for the night with a few fine saves, most notably a Gordon Banks-like effort to deny Martín Palermo at the near post from a corner as the match ticked towards stoppage time with the home crowd willing the hands of the clock to move just a little faster. Flu, though, weren't in the mood to sit back any longer, and had a couple of chances of their own before substitute Dodô put it beyond all doubt with a third for the hosts late on in stoppage time.

3-1 on the night, 5-3 to Flu on aggregate, and they advance to the final of the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history. They'll be meeting LDU Quito, who got to the knockout round from the same group and are also playing in their first ever Copa final. Boca, the outgoing champions, will have to wait until 2009 to get another shot at equalling Independiente's record seven Copas.

Fluminense 3 - 1 Boca Juniors

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Desde que llegó a Boca, Rodrigo Palacio jugó 153 partidos e hizo 67 goles, lo que arroja un promedio de 0,46. Es decir: casi medio gol por partido. Se trata de un promedio digno de los grandes nueves de área, aunque Rodrigo no lo sea. Fue goleador del torneo clausura 2006 y gracias a él ganamos la Recopa 2006.

Les dejo la lista con los goles convertidos por Rodrigo:

Torneos Locales:

Apertura Clausura 2005:

vs Central 2 goles

vs Huracán 1 gol

Torneo Apertura 2005:

vs Gimnasia (J) 2 goles

vs Argentinos 1 gol

vs Gimnasia (LP) 1 gol

vs Racing 1 gol

vs Quilmes 2 goles

vs Newell´s 1 gol

vs Banfield 1 gol

vs Estudiantes 1 gol

Torneo Clausura 2006:

vs Central 1 gol

vs Lanús 1 gol

vs Newell´s 1 gol

vs Colón 1 gol

vs Estudiantes 1 gol

vs Independiente 1 gol

vs Olimpo 1 gol

Torneo Apertura 2006:

vs San Lorenzo 2 goles

vs Estudiantes 1 gol

vs Vélez 2 goles

vs River 1 gol

vs Arsenal 1 gol

vs Gimnasia (LP) 2 goles

vs Quilmes 1 gol

vs Colón 2 goles

Torneo Clausura 2007:

vs Central 1 gol

vs Independiente 1 gol

vs Vélez 2 goles

vs Newell´s 1 gol

vs Quilmes 1 gol

vs Gimnasia (J) 1 gol

Torneo Apertura 2007:

vs Gimnasia (LP) 1 gol

vs Olimpo 1 gol

vs Racing 1 gol

vs Vélez 1 gol

Torneo Clausura 2008:

vs Central 1 gol

vs Argentinos 1 gol

vs Newell´s 1 gol

vs Arsenal 1 gol, con este suma 68 goles en Boca

Copa Sudamericana:

2005:

vs Cerro Porteño 1 gol

vs Inter (Brasil) 3 goles

vs UNAM (México) 1 gol

2006:

vs Nacional (Uru) 1 gol

vs Nacional (Uru) 1 gol

Copa Libertadores:

2005:

vs Pachuca 1 gol

vs Junior (Col) 1 gol

2007:

vs Bolívar 2 goles

vs Libertad (Par) 1 gol

vs Gremio (Brasil) 1 gol

2008:

vs Atlas 2 goles

vs Colo Colo 1 gol

vs Cruzeiro (Brasil) 1 gol

Recopa 2006:

vs San Pablo (Brasil) 2 goles

vs San Pablo (Brasil) 1 gol

Mundial de Clubes 2007:

vs Milán (Italia) 1 gol

También sería interesante llevar una cuenta de todas las asistencias de gol que ha realizado, pero se complica… llevaría muchísimo trabajo hacerlo ya que han sido bastantes.

Basta de tanta crítica, los números no mienten...si bien "erra goles" hay que tener en cuenta que la mayoría de esos goles errados los fabrica él sólo... Imagínense si metiera todos!! Sería impresionante. Yo ya lo dije una vez el delantero de área es Palermo, Rodrigo lo asiste y por supuesto convierte sus goles. Es impresionante lo que deja este jugador en la cancha, y muchos dicen que si fuera tan bueno ya no estaría en Boca...que estaría en Europa...a los que piensan eso les cuento que él sigue en Boca porque está muy cómodo y porque prefiere estar cerca de sus afectos antes que irse juntar euros...y si se llega a ir es porque así lo decide la dirigencia de Boca y no él...y si aceptara es por una cuestión obvia, si insisten tanto en que se vaya el que puede hacer? De todas maneras parece que su ida se pospone por un tiempo…

El próximo partido de Boca es ante Arsenal en la Bombonera, van a jugar los 11 que jugaron contra Vélez porque a los titulares les toca jugar la revancha el próximo miércoles en el Maracaná...será un Maracanaso? los hinchs de Fluminense ya estaban festejando de ante mano el triunfo, piensan que tienen a la final en sus manos...se olvidan que tienen enfrente a Boca y les vamos a dar pelea.

Saludos

Boca began the better side and took an early lead through Juan Román Riquelme in just the eleventh minute after Rodrigo Palacio cut the ball back for him from a lofted pass forward, and barely looked back even as the visitors hit back just four minutes later courtesy of Thiago Silva. After the early exchange, Boca dominated, Martín Palermo causing interminable problems for the Brazilian backline and Riquelme having a stormer, 'painting the pitch with the most beautiful colours football knows,' as Olé put it. Very prosaic, these Argentine reporters.

in the 64th minute Riquelme doubled his and his side's tally to put Boca 2-1 up, and the match looked over. All the same, the hosts pressed and pressed for a third, and were getting closer and closer to getting it, before disaster struck. Thiago Neves hit a hopeful, weak shot from twenty-five yards out and Migliore had it covered easily, but fumbled and the ball ended up in the net to make it 2-2. Moments later, Palermo thought he'd made it three, and would have done but for a phenomenal save from Fernando Henrique in the visitors' goal. 2-2 it finished. Flu are unlikely to be quite such pushovers in the Maracanã, and Boca, if they're to make the final, will need another impressive performance in an away match. It wouldn't be the first time in this year's Copa, but will it be one ask too many?

Boca Juniors 2 - 2 Fluminense

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Rodrigo jugó como nos tiene acostumbrados, volvió loca a la defensa del Atlas…y al arquero Bava ni hablar, provocó la expulsión del mismo… buscó en todo momento a su compañero de ataque…Palermo. Llegó a hacer un pase en profundidad a lo Riquelme ni más ni menos que al propio Riquelme, pero Román no pudo convertir.

Ahora hay que esperar por el próximo rival…Otra buena noticia es que ya identificaron quien fue el agresor al juez de línea en el partido contra Cruzeiro por lo tanto Boca a lo mejor podría volver a jugar en la Bombonera en semifinales.

Se está pasando este mensaje para apoyar a Rodrigo, ojalá que se prendan todos!:

EL VIERNES 30/5 TODAS/OS A CASA AMARILLA, NO A IMPEDIR QE RODRIGO SE VAYA, PERO SI A BRINDARLE TODO NUESTRO APOYO Y CARIÑO COMO SIEMPRE, CON CARTELES, BANDERAS,ETC ..

El próximo partido por el Torneo Local es el domingo a la 16:20 hs contra Vélez de visitante.

Saludos

On Wednesday night, Carlos Tevez became the first Argentine ever to win both the Copa Libertadores and the European Cup as - in spite of his missing two good chances before half time - his Manchester United side overcame Chelsea on penalties to claim their third continental trophy. His former club Boca Juniors, meanwhile, remain on course for a possible meet-up with their ex-striker in the World Club Cup (or whatever it's to be called this year) in Japan in December, advancing to the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores after easily beating Atlas of Mexico in what had looked, prior to the match, like a tough assignment. Martín Palermo scored a first-half hat trick and Boca never looked back. Read on for a report, and the goals on video...

The first leg of the quarter-final had finished 2-2 in Liniers - Boca playing at home in Vélez Sársfield's ground due to a stadium ban on La Bombonera which will remain in force for the semi - and the return, at altitude in Guadalajara against a side who'd beaten Boca easily in the same stadium during the group stage, looked like a tough task to work round after the two away goals shipped in the first leg. With a 0-0 or 1-1 draw, Atlas would advance, and with this knowledge in mind Boca came out at their hosts from the off.

Juan Román Riquelme, largely anonymous in the first leg, was vastly improved tonight alongside youngster Cristián Chávez in midfield, although a slow start saw Ulises Mendivil miss a good chance for Atlas just over a minute in. With the opening exchanges the ball moved from one end of the pitch to the other, Boca looking better in possession but Atlas pacy on the counter-attack, if lacking precision in the final third. In the 19th minute, Palermo broke the deadlock. Latching onto a pass from Riquelme he simply steered it towards goal. It was hardly his best shot, and home goalkeeper Jorge Bava got to it with his leg, but it bobbled on and crossed the line - just - before Bava could scramble back and push it back out.

With the aggregate lead Boca could relax a little, but they still knew that their opponents had the greater away goals tally and would be on course to go through if they could equalise. Whilst Atlas continued to counter weakly, their visitors tried to push their advantage home. In a four minute spell around ten before the break, Palermo put the match and the tie as a whole beyond the Mexicans with two well-taken goals. The first came with a confident right-footed finish from the right channel after Rodrigo Palacio had taken down a Riquelme long ball well and centred for his strike partner. If that was good, the second was even better. Chávez found El Loco just outside the box, unmarked, and moving slightly to the left, Palermo lifted the ball up and over the goalkeeper with his left foot, and watched with the rest of the stadium as it dropped, and dropped, and dropped - all the way into the far corner of the goal.

The match was just 37 minutes old but with the goal, Atlas's last lingering hopes evaporated. Three goals without reply in the second half, against the defending champions with Martín Palermo on fire at the other end of the pitch were to prove far, far too much - and the difficulty was only compounded when just four minutes after the break, Jorge Bava took Palermo out just outside the penalty box. The home goalkeeper had to go, and a man down Atlas never looked like getting back into the tie.

The holders, then, advance to the last four where they'll face the winners of América vs. Santos later on Wednesday night, or - should they get past LDU Quito - San Lorenzo. The latter tie is possible because if two sides from the same country reach the semi-final, CONMEBOL will scrap the 'tree' in order to avoid an all-one-nation final. Likewise, if Santos (who lost 2-0 in Mexico last week) do get past Santos, they'll face the winners of Fluminense vs. Sao Paulo, and thus Boca could yet face LDU Quito themselves.

Atlas 0 - 3 Boca Juniors

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Estamos en los cuartos de final de la Copa, en busca de los cuatro mejores de América, donde en los partidos de ida los "grandes", por llamarlos así, no han brillado y no están cómodos pensando en lo que viene.

Uno de ellos fue el último campeón, Boca Juniors, que no subestimaban al Atlas de ninguna manera, pero no pensaban que se les iba a hacer tan complicado. Fuera de La Bombonera y en cancha de Vélez, Ischia ponía lo mejor. Atlas, por su parte, hizo algunos cambios pero la base la mantenía. Los locales parecían decididos a meter varios goles, pero en el comienzo, luego de un corner, Flores, de cabeza, le daba el 0-1 a los 'zorros' del Atlas. Ahí es donde todos se preguntaban "¿aparecerá Boca ahora?". Eso trató, pero no concretaba la definición. Pero en una jugada apareció Riquelme, que ni había hecho demasiado, aunque ya sabemos como es él, y le dio una buena asistencia a Palacio que tiró el pase a Palermo y en una jugada accidentada, donde no se sabe si Palermo hizo el gol o Ayala el defensor, Boca empataba y respiraba.

En el segundo tiempo, Rodrigo Palacio tuvo una chance clarísima y otra vez no supo definir ante un Bava que salió muy rápido. Es un grandísimo delantero, de los mejores del continente, pero sigue con eso de no saber que hacer cuando está frente al arquero. Así y todo, uno de los refuerzos que, junto a Morel, está creciendo mucho más en cuanto a su rendimiento apareció. Hablo de Julio César Cáceres, ex River, que le dio alegría al equipo 'xeneize'. De ahí en más Boca manejó todo. Atlas se quedó un poco porque los de Ischia atacaban y mucho. Riquelme estrelló una al palo, Palermo no pudo empujarla en otra y Battaglia tiraba remates a la Luna. Y, cuando el partido terminaba, vino un cabezazo de Torres que amargó a la hinchada, cuerpo técnico y obviamente a los jugadores 'bosteros'. Empate a dos fue el resultado y Boca, que sabe que tiene la 'mística', pero que no siempre puede depender de eso. La vuelta será en Guadalajara, lugar del que los bonaerenses no guardan muy buenos recuerdos. Aunque, es cierto, Boca es Boca y en estas instancias las estadísticas quedan de lado.

Otro de los grandes del continente que quiere su pase a la semifinal es el São Paulo de Adriano. Jugaba ante un grande de Río de Janeiro: Fluminense, el mejor equipo de la Copa hasta aquí -por resultados al menos- y que contaba con su gran delantera, la de Washington y Dodó. Todo pintaba para ser un gran encuentro y asi comenzó. Con juego, con lujos, con las hinchadas locas. Un gran marco. Pero luego el partido fue cayendo y más para el lado contrario al 'Flu', que tenía muchos problemas en la defensa, cosa que el ex del Inter, Adriano, aprovechó muy bien y, luego de una jugada que él mismo elaboró, convirtió el primer y único tanto de su equipo.

Hace una semana, Juan Román Riquelme había dicho que el São Paulo era el principal candidato y que, si Adriano quería, sería un conjunto arrasador. Parece que tuvo razón, porque 'Il Emperatore' fue la figura del choque. Le faltaron goles al equipo paulista, que tendrá que ir al Maracaná con una ventaja de un solo tanto.

En los otros dos encuentro aparecieron dos figuras impresionantes: Joffre Guerrón y Salvador Cabañas.

Uno de ellos estuvo en el gran partido que jugó Liga ante San Lorenzo. Guerrón, imparable, volvió loca a la defensa del 'Ciclón'. Debe ser el jugador más rápido del continente. Sí, rápido y además con mucho físico para aguantar a los demás. El juego terminó en igualdad a uno en el Nuevo Gasómetro, donde él y Bolaños fueron las figuras del partido. Ese Bolaños al que muchos comparan con Robinho, el jugador del Real Madrid español. San Lorenzo tuvo mucho corazón solamente. En realidad, mucha desesperación, pero salió a buscarlo. Liga Deportiva Universitaria ahora se hace respetar mucho más e irá a Quito con un gran resultado. Bieler, el argentino, hizo el gol para el equipo ecuatoriano después de un grosero error de Orión. Mientras que Adrián González, de tiro libre, convirtió el empate para los de Boedo. Hay que decir que a Guerrón lo quieren en México, Europa y Argentina. El Oporto está muy interesado, aunque el ecuatoriano querría una revancha personal en Boca, tras haber estado y no haber podido debutar, en el año 2005, ya que parece ser que el club argentino estaría negociando por su pase. Puede ser el mejor jugador de esta edición de la Libertadores, al menos por ahora. Todos nos quedábamos con los Riquelme, los Adriano, pero este jugador, de tan sólo 23 años, se ha hecho conocer y respetar en el continente.

El otro de aquellos dos jugadores que nombramos es Salvador Cabañas. Y qué podemos decir de él. El mejor delantero del continente y el mejor jugador de los que todavía no han cruzado el océano. Ayer, jugaban las Águilas del América ante el siempre temeroso Santos de Brasil, en el Estadio Azteca. Estadio que vio a Pelé y Maradona hacer lo mejor de sus respectivas carreras deportivas. Para muchos, el mejor escenario del mundo del fútbol. En fin, uno ya se cansa de oír los elogios para Cabañas, todo el tiempo, aunque merecidas los tiene. Anoche brilló y convirtió dos goles para el triunfo de su equipo por 2-0, que parece ser que está levantando. "Las Águilas vuelven a volar" sería el título. Pero no sólo brilla el paraguayo en el equipo mexicano. Además, en la noche de ayer, Ochoa tuvo un par de intervenciones espectaculares y Sebastián Domínguez y Germán Villa estuvieron muy bien para la marca. El comentarista Juan Pablo Varsky decía que el América encontró el "1259" perfecto. Y sí, tiene razón, pero un poco tarde diría yo, aunque en estas fases no importa, simplemente hay que pasar.

Y miren si el América sale campeón. Un campeón con 3 técnicos diferentes y con muchos altibajos en el camino. Sería histórico. Obviamente, todas las miradas están puestas en Boca y en São Paulo, que todavía no han demostrado el juego suficiente como para ser los vencedores. Boca, tal vez por momentos, pero tampoco. La próxima semana será de infarto: se conocerán los cuatro mejores equipos de América. Todavía no se puede decir absolutamente nada. Quizás el América este algo bien, pero la misma hazaña que lograron en el Maracaná, la puede hacer el Santos en Vila Belmiro, esta vez de local. En fin, late América.

Carlos Andrade 16.05.08

Altas:

• Se sigue hablando muy mucho de Daniel Alves y Seydou Keita, jugadores del Sevilla.  Según los medios, Alves ya tiene apalabrado su contrato con el Barça.  Ahora se espera llegar a un acuerdo con el club sevillano.
• Gerard Piqué: acuerdo con el Manchester United por 5 millones, el jugador firmaría por 4 temporadas.  Si se confirma, muy buen fichaje.
• Rodrigo Palacio: al jugador de Boca Juniors se le ha relacionado con el Barça desde hace dos años.  Al parecer hay acuerdo con el club argentino por 17 millones y con el jugador para su llegada después de acabar la competición argentina.
• Karim Benzema y Adebayor: se sigue hablando sobre la posibilidad de que uno de estos dos jugadores sea el sustituto de Eto´o si este finalmente abandona el club blaugrana. 

Bajas:

• Márquez: según su representante el jugador mexicano no abandonará el Barcelona este verano, así se lo ha comunicado Txiki Beguiristain.
• Eto ó: se le ha informado que el club no cuenta con él, y que lo mejor es buscar un traspaso este verano.
• Deco: a pesar de que todavía no se le ha comunicado nada, el jugador comentó que si se tiene que ir se irá.  Se rumorea con una oferta del Inter de Milán