What did I say? This guy has been clutch since he has returned to South America and just wins titles. 3 straight Brasileiros and now possibly this...
Props to the corintianos for the win. They came up big when they had to during this tournament and deserve the win. I feel bad for the Boca fans. This side was extremely frustrating to watch in both of the legs.
Thought i'd point out this is the 4th copa libertadores final lost by Julio Cesar Falcioni. He's never won one
Eu acho que o Corinthians Esse ano Vai ser Campeao da Libertadores... PS: Riquelme diciendole "ciao" a todos.
A cycle, an era, a "racha," is over. Barring some wise replenishment of players and very possibly a new manager, we may have seen tonight the final struggle of a team which has been dominant over the past several years. It may be easy to say this now, but it was hard not to accept that Corinthians seemed predestined to win this final. Their draw in Buenos Aires, Roncaglia's failed attempt to equalize, Roncaglia's absence... then the tense atmosphere within Boca's roster, with rumors of Riquelme leaving... Riquelme not being his usual brilliant self on the pitch, complaining more than playing (as Emerson Sheik himself said last week about him), and Corinthians playing its trademark rugged defense and merciless midfield marking... Jorge Henrique, who got injured last week, healed up and came back to play tonight... In the first game, Corinthians wasn't as solid as it had been earlier on. But tonight, Corinthians deployed its best game. Boca helped Corinthians with some terrible defensive errors (Schiavi's misguided pass reminded me of that bad pass by Palacio that Dodo converted for a 3rd goal in the 2008 semifinal vs. Fluminense), but Corinthians simply seemed to want it more. Corinthians' previous failures in the Libertadores often stemmed from poor handling of their tempers. Tonight however, they not only held themselves, but they also stood up to any trash talk given by Boca's players. Emerson, who publicly said he fears nothing given his humble origins, was verbally aggressive against Schiavi and Caruzzo. But as far as the actual game, Corinthians crowned its campaign playing a game that perfectly symbolized its style of soccer during the tournament: extremely sturdy defense, relentless midfield marking, and attention on all lines, at all times, making the opponents' work quite difficult. It is not surprising that Corinthians won its first Libertadores unbeaten, and this feat will be highlighted by the fact that it, as the defending Brazilian champion, it unseated Santos (the last Libertadores winner) and knocked out Boca, the reigning Argentine champion and a previous winner of the tournament (and a team which has been a consistent contender since 2000). Congratulations to Corinthians. An amazing Libertadores, with very, VERY strong and competitive teams, and an unforgettable final, for many reasons. Brazilian soccer wins the tournament for a third straight year - let's hope it continues onto 2013 and beyond.
Sports news from Brazil and Argentina confirm he's leaving. First Palermo, now Riquelme. Others are leaving as well. Time for Boca to rebuild.
It's because about 50 of the funniest YouTube vids were rendered moot today, after Corinthians' win. Adeus! Adeus, amigos, depois de tantos anos...
There's nothing to feel bad about. They were gone for 2 years - with their last game coming on a round of 16 elimination at home to Defensor Sporting, a team which lacks great tradition in the continent - and on their first return they make it all the way to the final. Boca shone against Union Espanola and against La U, but Fluminense exposed Boca's mortality, and only a terrible lapse allowed Boca to score that last-second equalizer. Their team was/is old, beaten up by tear & wear, exhausted from playing 3 tournaments, limited in ability and options, and while it built a great run with very few defeats, it was showing cracks. All the rumors of inner conflicts erupted as Riquelme apparently decided to leave the team even before tonight's match. As I wrote just now, Boca is a great side, but given how old so many of their players are, it's probably time to retool. Riquelme follows Palermo's footsteps. I doubt Tevez would return. It's time for a new beginning. I could be wrong - but I do think that we've seen the last of that always dangerous contender Boca who made history in the 2000s.
Corinthians wasn't the most exciting side to win it, but that defense they had throughout the tournament was probably one of the most formidable.
That's my point. Despite the fact the team reached the finals, it wasn't a Boca side you would typically see. On an international level, the players on their squad are quite average at best in comparison to past sides.
Anecdotes from yesterday. 1. Santiago Silva was caught by cameras taking a journalist's camera. The journalist immediately demanded it back but he refused. Boca's delegation later returned the item. http://esporte.uol.com.br/futebol/c...-e-rouba-camera-fotografica-de-jornalista.htm 2. Leandro Castán stated Boca's players talked trash incessantly, often laughing at them. Well, it was not Boca who had the last laugh. http://esporte.uol.com.br/futebol/c...diz-que-eles-riam-da-cara-dos-corintianos.htm 3. Riquelme congratulated Emerson Sheik. At least he accepted defeat with grace.