End of an era: Gago's numbers and the candidates to replace him

After the defeat in the Superclásico, what seemed like an open secret ended up happening:Fernando Gago was dismissed as Boca's coach. This Tuesday morning, the final decision was made by Juan Román Riquelme, Boca's president, and the Football Council.

With Pintita's departure, Mariano Herrón will coach Sunday's match against Tigre and will have the interim leadership of the first team until Xeneize finds a high-profile replacement.

The cycle of the now former Boca coach lasted 30 matches, of which 17 were victories, 5 draws, and 8 defeats. Among the main low points of his performance, the loss against River on Sunday and the elimination in Libertadores Phase 2 against Alianza Lima stand out, but they are not the only ones.

From the beginning, Gago had been questioned for his tactics and attitudes in key matches. His debut match against Tigre was a tough 3-0 defeat that brought the first criticisms. Shortly after, his team fell 4-3 to Vélez in the Copa Argentina semifinals, after leading 3-2, thus losing the chance to qualify directly for Libertadores.

Another match that fueled his departure from the club was the 2-0 defeat in the classic against Racing, his former club, where he showed a very poor level.

The candidates to replace Gago

One of the names on the radar is Rodolfo Arruabarrena, who  already had a stint as Boca's coach between August 2014 and February 2016. He is currently without a club, with his most recent experience being at the helm of Al-Taawoun in Saudi Arabia. Although his contract extended until mid-year, last February the Arab institution decided to end the relationship after 28 matches coached.

Arruabarrena left the club after leaving it in tenth position, with 24 points, ten above Al-Raed, which occupied relegation spots. Vasco had taken over in July 2024 and his record was 13 victories, 7 draws, and 9 defeats.

Another strong candidate to replace Gago is Gustavo Quinteros. After a contentious departure from Vélez, following the championship won in the 2024 Professional League, he took over Gremio in Brazil.

However, a month ago he was dismissed due to three consecutive defeats in the local tournament and the loss in the state championship final against Internacional, Porto Alegre's classic rival.

A third high-profile option resonating in the Xeneize environment is Gerardo "Tata" Martino, 62 years old. The former Argentina National Team coach is free and had already been sought by Riquelme before taking over at Inter Miami, after Hugo Ibarra's departure. Back then, he rejected the proposal, despite the Football Council being convinced he would accept.

Also on the list is the Uruguayan  Alexander "Cacique" Medina (46 years old), who was dismissed from his position at Talleres de Córdoba in February, after a defeat against São Paulo in the Copa Libertadores.

Similarly, an alternative is Cristian "Kily" González (50 years old), who just two weeks ago stopped being Unión's coach.