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ARGENTINA

Gabriel Milito could reject Riquelme's call to take over as Boca's coach

According to an ESPN journalist, the former Atlético Mineiro coach is the main option for the Xeneize management, but he might not accept the offer

For now, Mariano Herrón will continue to lead the professional squad ahead of the Apertura Tournament play-offs, but Boca is still searching for a new coach. Juan Román Riquelme and Boca's Football Council want to secure one before the Club World Cup debut.

In this context, the main candidate on the Xeneize management's radar is Gabriel Milito, who has been without a team since his recent departure from Atlético Mineiro in Brazil. Despite the club's leadership approval, there have been no formal contacts to determine his availability so far.

Regarding this scenario, journalist Luciana Rubinska provided details during the morning broadcast of SportsCenter on ESPN. While she confirmed Boca's interest, she also revealed that Milito might not be willing to accept the offer for a very specific reason. The coach's intention is to take on a managerial role at Independiente in the near future.

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Rubinska states that Milito wouldn't accept Boca's call | La Derecha Diario

"I'm confirmed this from his inner circle. Gabriel Milito's goal is to be president of Independiente, he mentioned it once in an interview. What he feels, and why I think it's a common point, is that if he coaches Boca, he would be disqualified from running as president of Independiente because he would be launching with several points less for having coached a rival in the past," Rubinska explained.

She then added: "If you're so convinced of something, that you say this is what I want for my life. If he's so convinced that he wants to be president of Independiente, the truth is that if he coaches Boca, he won't be nurturing that intention. It's not the same if you want to be a coach or a manager. Here, the rivalry ends up conditioning you."

"They talked to me about five years, that's what he has in mind. We'll see how things turn out, but Milito wants to be president of Independiente," the journalist concluded.

Man with a sports jacket from a soccer team on a training field.
Milito wants to be president of Independiente | La Derecha Diario

Milito's public confession about his political future at the Rojo

In an interview he gave in 2024 to Damián Iribarren on ESPN, when he was still coaching Atlético Mineiro, Milito made clear what his long-term plans are. "At this moment, I want to coach a little longer, but the decision is made, and in the future, I want to be president of Independiente," he stated at that time.

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