River Plate may have just won the title after a long wait but manager Diego Simeone already knows he’s still got to find a few missing pieces in the jigsaw to get the side playing the way he’d like. One very important piece he already had is now out of the equation, though: his passport issues finally resolved, goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo returns to Lazio. Marseille full back Juan Krupoviesa, meanwhile, is back at Boca after an unhappy six months in France.
In spite of his twelve-month loan back to River from Lazio being over now, and thus his not actually having a say in the matter, fans still pleaded with Carrizo to stay with River longer, even as he was preparing to board his flight on Sunday to Rome. For his part, saying that the only thing that he feels he’s missing so far in a River shirt is the Copa Libertadores, Juampi says he’ll be back one day, God willing. But he had some words of advice for his now ex manager, Simeone.
‘If you ask me, I’ve always said that when I leave, I’d like Juan Marcelo [Ojeda] or Daniel [Vega] to have their chance,’ Carrizo told Olé before boarding his plane, when asked what he thought of rumours linking River to Atlético de Madrid’s Leo Franco, Getafe’s Oscar Ustari and Estudiantes’ Mario Andújar. ‘When I returned to River, those two had to go and sit on the subs’ bench, and not everyone would have taken it as well as they did… I hope Simeone gives Ojeda the opportunity, because when he’s called on to make a save, he does it fantastically.’
Krupoviesa is heading in the opposite direction from Carrizo, from Europe back to Buenos Aires, after an unhappy six months in Spain. Having started his stay well by making ‘friends’ with a Spanish lady in Paris (‘The voice of the Spaniards in the GPS who guided my car everywhere I wanted to go!’) things quickly became less pleasant when he was sent off – harshly – on his debut. After playing regularly early on, he went to the bench when the first-choice left backreturned.
‘It was a good experience,’ Krupoviesa said on his unveiling at the Casa Amarilla. ‘I don’t regret anything, any more than the fact that today I’m starting a new phase in my career, because when this opportunity was presented to me I was 28 years old and I didn’t think I’d get another one. I’ve never had the chance to play in a big league in Europe… [but] it’s always nice to return to a big club like Boca.’
Krupoviesa faces stiff competition for his place from Fabián Monzón, who’s emerged in the elder player’s absence to nail down a regular place for Boca during the Clausura and their Copa Libertadores campaign. Krupoviesa knows Monzón, having seen him in the reserves before leaving in January. Now he returns to his former club with the aim of playing regularly again, and the former reserve will be aiming to keep him out of the side a little longer.
Hasta El Gol Siempre 
Welcome back to Boca Krupo ! One of my favorite Boca players. He is never going to be a premier player, but he is dependable and with a great sense of humor. I was sorry to see him leave and happy he is back.
Yes, nothing was better than hearing Coco Basile shouting “Krupo! Krupo!” from the bench. God that guy has a great voice…
Yes Andrew ! My personal nickname for Krupoviesa is “Snoopy”. Take a close look at him sometime. He looks a little like a cartoon dog.:) I like dogs so no harm intended.:) Maybe some day Coco will return to Boca as well. I like Ischia fine but Coco really did wonders at Boca. As for the voice, he and Merlo should do some sort of tv commercial together. It would be hilarious. Maybe for throat lozenges.
Careful what you wish for, Johnny. I can’t be held responsible if anyone reading this and working for an ad agency pinches the idea… it’s a very good one!
Johnny, they can only do the throat lozenge commercial after they do the gangster flick together. Think Marlon Brando in Godfather I… And how Merlo does not have a hair product sponsorship I have no idea.
My friends, what I’m about to tell you is a true story!
Pepsi did a tv commercial with Héctor “Bambino” Veira and Reinaldo “Mostaza” Merlo a couple of months ago.
They had a couple of great animations of them (because they were talking about a promotion involving some ProEvolutionSoccer prizes or whatever).
It was all very nice, but the voices sounded weird (“Bambino” doesn’t have a voice like Coco or Mostaza, but the way he speaks is highly hilarious!). Those were obviously not their voices, but here’s the trick!
They were supposed to record their voices and everything was set, but they had to use back-ups and put some guys to mimic their voices because (AND I GOT IT FROM A GOOD SOURCE AND I’VE GOT REASONS TO BELIEVE THIS IS A TRUE STORY) THEY COULDN’T PRONOUNCE THE WORD: “PEPSI”.
They said. “PESI” or “PECSI” or different variations of the name but somehow they couldn’t manage to pronounce it properly!
Bless them!
Very funny, and sounds right on. That is a difficult word for many native spanish speakers.
Way off topic here-is Boca playing some friendlies in the USA soon ? I can’t seem to find a list of friendlies anywhere. I think they usually play a few matches in the states this time of year, and I saw somewhere that Pompilio was going to be in the states soon. Thanks for any info !
Haha, Seba. Well, I guess they don’t need the money so I won’t feel sorry for them.
Johnny, I was trying to find data on the Boca tour, too. I had heard that they will be coming to Washington DC to train but I haven’t been able to see if they will play friendlies, too. I live just outside of DC so I’m trying to find a training schedule to see if I can see them. I saw them play a small scrimmage about 6 or 7 years ago when Schiavi and Guille and Pato were still there and I’m hoping that they are having something similar on this trip.
Thanks Andrew. I’m in Canada now, but returning to BA soon. I was hoping I might get a shot at seeing Boca somewhere on the East Coast before I leave. You would think the Boca website would have that kind of info, but nooooooo.