10/06/2023 17:29hs. Updated on 10/06/2023 1:56hs.
The “papao bug” is one of the most popular characters in Brazilian popular culture. A supposed monster that frightens “children” who behave badly and don’t listen to mom and dad. It can be under the bed, behind the door, inside the closet and, in some cases, on top of the roof of the house, ready to act if necessary. In Brazil in general and in São Paulo in particular, but much more in the Allianz Parque area, The image of the “papao bug” could be Juan Román Riquelme, the idol and vice president of Boca. We call him the cuckoo in these lands.
Riquelme does not hide under the bed, behind the door, inside the closet, much less above the ceiling. But it’s scary. Since Palmeiras learned that the vice president was traveling for the second leg semi-final of the Copa Libertadores, a strange feeling began to run through their veins. To the Verdao fans who They remember the masterful performances of the 2000 final and the 2001 semi-final, and of course they also remember the 2007 final against Gremio. And so many more games for Brazil that he made his last name become a name for boys born in the midst of his exploits. “They have him very much in mind, it is special that he comes,” local journalists said in front of the TV cameras.
He had not gone in 2020 against Santos and his Boca ended up falling 3-0 in the semifinal. Nor in 2021 against Atlético Mineiro and the outcome of the round of 16 was scandalous. And although in 2022 he closed the home series against Corinthians, he was not in the away leg. In this Libertadores, the last of the current administration, Román began to get closer and encouraged to travel outside the garden of his house: Colo Colo in Chile, Deportivo Pereira in Colombia, Nacional in Uruguay and… Palmeiras in Brazil. He had to be there to be able to break the bad streak as a leader against the Brazilian teams, after three hard blows in previous editions. And he did it.
Riquelme traveled with his closest circle, “those who share the most hours of mate and barbecue with him”, according to what they told Olé from Boca Predio. Mariano Herrón, Silvio Rudman, Walter Pico, Pablo Ledesma and his brother Chanchi. They are the ones who sit closest to you at the head of the “U”-shaped table in the Ezeiza zum. And those who moved together everywhere in San Pablo, almost apart from the delegation that arrived a day before led by Jorge Ameal, Chicho Serna and Patron Bermúdez.
There was no need for him to take the baton and make the players get off a bus. Nor do you get involved in giving the technical talk. It seemed enough for the footballers to know that he was there. It is his immanence in Boca. Like the immanence of God in humanity, but on a Mundo Boca scale. It happens on the property, it happens on trips. This, only a few speak to him if he does not speak to them. And no one interrupts him. Riquelme did not want to travel by land when upon arrival in San Pablo they sent him to an airport more distant from the hotel and then everyone waited for hours for the flight to take off again to get to where he needed to go. Like going by plane from Aeroparque to Ezeiza, something like that, but in the city with the most traffic congestion in South America.
While waiting for the game, It was all mystery. It was possible to see those who accompanied him on the trip, but not him. Supposedly, in Boca no one sees it and no one feels it, and those who do are not authorized to say so. He arrived after 2 AM at the hotel and immediately greeted those who were still in the lobby, he did not want the press to take photos of him despite being on guard for a few hours (a lot of respect, no one photographed him), and he went to his room . The next day the semi-final return awaited him. Your most important semi-final.
On “the carpet court”, as he called it before the Allianz Parque, He was located in a box with the rest of the leaders who were part of the delegation, including Serna and Bermúdez, and continued the game in the same way as always. With the nervousness that goes inside. Between matte and matte. Commenting quietly with those closest to him. And after the triumph on penalties, he went to the hotel and from there immediately to the plane that was waiting for him for the return trip. With the objective accomplished. With the promise fulfilled of taking Boca to a Libertadores final again. And, if there was any doubt, possibly secure the December elections. Near the managerial sky.
2023-10-07 01:56:48
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