Claudio Úbeda's assistant breaks silence after Boca exit | OneFootball

After finishing his spell on Boca’s bench, Juvenal Rodríguez, assistant coach to Claudio Úbeda, gave an in-depth analysis of the coaching staff’s cycle. He reviewed Miguel Ángel Russo’s legacy, the relationship with Juan Román Riquelme, leadership in the dressing room, and the lack of finishing that marked the last few matches.

The “Boca World” offers no respite, and processing a departure from the club takes time. Following the recent departure of the coaching staff led by Claudio Úbeda, his assistant, Juvenal Rodríguez, decided to speak in depth about what his time at the club from La Ribera left behind.

Rodríguez arrived in the country thanks to Russo, a figure who left a deep mark on the recent coaching staff. “Yesterday, when our link with Boca came to an end, I was finally able to understand Miguel’s absence. I came to Argentina because of him and then got to know Claudio. The way he lived football will always stay with me,” he confessed.

Far from looking to go their separate ways, the former assistant confirmed that the intention is to keep the work group together with Sifón going forward: “Claudio is a very intelligent and calm man; he had the seriousness to follow the right path after Miguel’s departure. We intend to keep working all together because we believe Miguel brought us together for a reason.”

Claudio Úbeda alongside Juvenal Rodríguez and Adrián Gerónimo are no longer part of Boca.

One of the points Rodríguez highlighted most was the maturity and respect with which the squad handled the changes in the technical leadership after the death of the coach who won the Copa Libertadores. In that sense, he stressed the importance of having clear leaders both on the pitch and in the dressing room.

“Since Miguel’s departure, we felt enormous respect from the players. The squad was very respectful, and Leandro (Paredes), wearing the captain’s armband and with all his experience, knew how to take on his leadership role very well. He channeled communication between the players and the coaching staff very effectively,” he said about Boca’s current captain in an interview with DSports Radio.

Juvenal Rodríguez praised Riquelme

When asked about dealings with the board, his words were full of gratitude, highlighting the constant support and freedom to make decisions. “Riquelme is a very straightforward guy who understands football very well. He lives and breathes Boca; it’s his life, and he’s constantly thinking about how to make the fans happy.”

Along the same lines, the Colombian added: “In every conversation, we came back to the idea of building a team the fans could identify with,” Rodríguez said, and he also had warm words for the sporting director: “We had complete freedom to work and direct contact with Chelo Delgado, who is a great person; he was always there to support us. I’m going to miss the day-to-day with him.”

Juan Román Riquelme alongside Miguel Ángel Russo, who led the coaching staff later inherited by Claudio Úbeda.

When it came time to assess matters on the pitch, Rodríguez was self-critical about the lack of cutting edge, although he defended the team’s attacking approach. He recalled great moments, such as the first 45 minutes against Cruzeiro, but acknowledged the frustration of recent games like the clash with Universidad Católica or the strange match against Huracán.

“In the last few matches we’ve had 90 shots on goal and only scored 3 times; those are the moments football has. The team’s attitude was always the same: to go forward. If I have to draw a conclusion, I think we were a team that took too many risks,” he analyzed.

Claudio Úbeda had no say in the transfer market

The Colombian praised the transfer window and the quick adaptation of big names like Santiago Ascacíbar, Ángel Romero, Adam Bareiro, and Malcom Braida, clarifying that they always stayed out of negotiations to focus on the day-to-day work. He also highlighted the growth of the club’s young prospects: “Claudio did a great job developing Exequiel (Zeballos) and always backed him,” he said, downplaying the substitution for Alan Velasco as simply a “match situation.”

Marcelo Delgado informed Úbeda that his contract would not be renewed.

The scale of the club leaves an unforgettable mark. For Rodríguez, the time he spent at Brandsen 805 amounts to “15 years of a career.” “Life at Boca was wonderful. One thing is what it’s like behind closed doors, and another is what it’s like on the outside; everything is hugely magnified.”

To close, he said: “The other day I woke up and thought: ‘What now? After Boca, what comes next?’ Miguel always told us that if you’re prepared for the demands of Central in Rosario, you can handle Boca,” he reflected, not before leaving a wish for the institution: “People will always demand more because they want to win. I’m taking beautiful memories with me; hopefully Boca can achieve its goals soon.”

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.