ARGENTINA: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Argentine midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme returns to Boca Juniors on loan from Villarreal

Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme returned home on Monday (February 12) after Villarreal loaned him to his former club Boca Juniors. A smiling Riquelme signed autographs and posed with fans outside Boca's stadium. During a news conference for his official presentation with Boca President Mauricio Macri, Riquelme seemed delighted to be back as he reflected on various problems that had cropped up recently with Villarreal. "First, I miss winning. Since I had to leave here, the truth is that I have not won and I hope that in June I'll be celebrating some title - that is what I hope very much. When one is accustomed to winning and some years pass without winning, the truth is that one feels a little strange, so I hope to have the luck of celebrating in June some title and we can all end happily," he said. Spanish media reported that the midfielder would receive $2 million to play for Boca in the Clausura championship, which starts this weekend, and the Libertadores Cup. Riquelme has been sidelined by Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini since the start of the year because the club has been unhappy with his level of commitment despite being given privileges not enjoyed by other squad members. "I had a difficulty with my club, where ultimately I couldn't play and I was very clear with Villareal. I said that I would like to stay there and there was always the one chance that there would be the opportunity to come here - and I didn't want to have any difficulties with my club knowing that. The problems I had with Villareal couldn't be solved but thank God that today I am here. I want to think only about Boca and not about Villareal, trying to do things well and on the 30th of June, as I said, I hope very strongly that I will be celebrating some title," Riquelme said. The 28-year-old is one of the Primera Liga's most talented players and helped lead Villarreal to the semi-finals of the Champions League last season but he struggled to recover after missing a last gasp penalty in their defeat against Arsenal. He played an instrumental role in steering Boca to a host of trophies between 1996 and 2002, winning three league titles and two Libertadores Cups.

ITN Source | February 14, 2007

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