November 7 – Jorge Almiron has departed as head coach of Argentinian giants Boca Juniors after the club failed to win the Copa Libertadores against Fluminense on Saturday.
In a dramatic final that went to extra time, Boca Juniors, inferior for much of the game, succumbed to a strike by John Kennedy, missing out on the chance to win their first Copa Libertadores since 2007.
In a statement, Boca Juniors said that Almiron informed the club that he would not serve until the end of his contract at the end of the year. Argentine media said the coach first communicated his decision to Juan Roman Riquelme, the club’s vice president. Mariano Herrón will step in as interim coach.
The Copa Libertadores final had been make or break for Boca’s season with the club sitting in seventh in the Primera Division after 27 matches, 17 points behind leaders and long-time rivals River Plate. The club had only won three of their last 20 matches in the leadup to the Copa Libertadores final.
Almiron arrived at the Bombonera Stadium in April, replacing Hugo Ibarra as coach. He lost two Classicos against rivals River Plate. Even the run in the Copa Libertadores could not paper over the cracks – his side failed to win a single game in playing time in the knockout rounds, needing penalty kicks against Racing Club, Uruguay’s Nacional and Brazil’s Palmeiras to progress.
Almiron has previously coached, among others, Argentinian clubs Independiente, Lanus and San Lorenzo as well as Saudi club Al Shabab.
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