The passing of Miguel Ángel Russo at 69 years old moved Argentine soccer and sparked a wave of messages of respect and recognition for his legacy. However, there was also room for controversy, as journalists Gabriel Anello and Juan Carlos "Toti" Pasman launched harsh criticism against Juan Román Riquelme, president ofBoca, whom they held responsible for having offered Russo the position of Boca's coach despite his delicate health condition.
Anello, host at Radio Mitre and a frequent critic of the Xeneize president, posted a message on his social media holding him responsible for what happened. "Riquelme made a man with a deteriorated health condition and facing a terminal illness take the reins of the team with the most pressure in America just to wash his hands with the fans and use him as a protective shield," he stated.
"There are no words to describe this human trash. Rest in peace, Miguel Ángel Russo," the journalist added, emphasizing his criticism of Boca's top executive.
El posteo de Anello en X
Meanwhile, on his Radio La Red show, Toti Pasman also joined the criticism with a similarly toned speech. "Russo leaves as a great, there is no doubt about it. There are indeed things to reproach Boca as an institution and Riquelme as president. I believe the club could have avoided this situation," he began by saying.
Pasman recalled that he had questioned the decision when Russo was appointed: "Riquelme chose him to go to the most important Club World Cup in history, where Boca was going to face a European superpower like Bayern Munich, an important European team like Benfica, and Auckland. I have the peace of mind of having said it at that time, when I told Hugo Balassone that Riquelme was using him to avoid embarrassment."
Russo llegó a Boca a pedido de Riquelme
The host also stated that the executive "exposed" the coach by having him take on the challenge of leading Boca in the midst of his treatment: "It could have happened at San Lorenzo, at Central, or at his home, but it happened at Boca, which in four months took Russo's life. He exposed him to an immeasurable pressure from the Boca world, beyond Miguel's fleeting happiness, it harmed him."
He concluded his editorial with a phrase that reignited the controversy: "Riquelme, who declared himself a friend of Miguel, should have taken care of him differently." "It's not good to go down in history as the one who hired a sick coach and four months later he died. I believe Boca didn't take care of him," he added.
The statements of both journalists caused divided opinions on social media. On one hand, there are those who condemned these comments for their lack of tact and sensitivity during such a sad moment, while on the other hand, there are those who agree with them and did not support Russo's arrival at Boca.
