Riquelme to miss Maradona's debut
Reuters - Wednesday 12 November 2008, 02:44
BUENOS AIRES - Argentina playmaker Juan
Roman Riquelme has been left out of the squad for next week's
friendly in Scotland, their first game under new coach Diego
Maradona.
Riquelme was not among the three home-based players named
on Tuesday for the match in Glasgow on November 19.
The Argentina Football Association (AFA) said on its
website (www.afa.org.ar) that Daniel Montenegro
(Independiente), Emiliano Papa (Velez Sarsfield) and Cristian
Villagra (River Plate) had been added to the foreign-based
players named last week.
Riquelme's absence followed an appeal to the AFA from his
club Boca Juniors, who are level on points with Argentine
championship leaders San Lorenzo with five games each to play.
Maradona also declined to call up any players from San
Lorenzo or Argentinos Juniors and Estudiantes, who have reached
the Copa Sudamericana semi-finals.