The former Xeneize coach speaks just over a month after his departure from the La Ribera team. I followed the interview minute by minute.
In the preview of the duel that Boca will face for the round of 16 of the Argentine Cup and just over a month after his departure as coach, Sebastián Battaglia breaks the silence in dialogue with TyC Sports. I followed the interview live.
Battaglia and the chance to have a second stage in Boca
“We’ll see how it goes tomorrow, but I’m not closing the door on it. Boca is my home and I put it ahead of everything.”
Do you still see Boca?
“We are going to continue to see Boca as we watch all the matches. We like football. I am a Boca fan, I always want it to do well”.
Battle, sobre Benedetto
“Pipa is a strong image, like Rojo or Cali. They are referents that have to lead the way. But they are things that happen at the moment. They have to carry the group forward”.
Can Molinas be Boca’s 10 now?
“He’s a great player, he has to keep growing. Perhaps today as a replacement he’s fine. He needs confidence and try to be decisive in the final meters, score goals. He needs a game where he stands out to break free. He has all the conditions”.
The reinforcements when he was Boca’s DT
“The thing about him not wanting Aliendro is not true. I was not aware of what was happening with the negotiations. I had commented on Payero because he had had him at Banfield. Now he was able to arrive and hopefully he will have the best performance” .
Battaglia, about the conflict in Boca over the renewal of Rossi and what he knew about it
“I knew I had to talk about his renewal but no more, now I’m finding out from the media.”
Battaglia and his most difficult moment in Boca
“Agustin (Almendra) made me sad because of what happened. It’s not a happy thing. It makes me sad to send a player away, but I have to keep the rules. Respect has to be with everyone.”
“Almendra has enormous conditions, that is not in dispute. But he has to think about the situations that occurred; there are things that he has to respect. They will serve as a learning experience for him.”
Battaglia and his greatest success as coach of Boca
“There were decisions where the functioning of the team was noted; giving Luis Vázquez the opportunity in those first games, scoring goals; and then not only also giving opportunities to Varela, but also to other youth players.”
Battaglia and his intention to direct again soon
“The idea is to listen to the proposals that may appear. I want to continue growing as a coach”.
Bataglia and the mistake of taking the Libertadores as an obsession
“The Libertadores has become an obsession and it’s a mistake. Today it’s getting more and more complicated, the Brazilian teams are very strong. Hopefully Boca can win it again, but the fact that it’s an obsession makes these things happen, where it seems that it’s the only thing that matters”.
Battaglia and if he spoke with Riquelme when he was manager of Boca
“I spoke with Roman, but not specifically about football. Now I didn’t speak again after what happened.”
Battaglia and his talks with the Football Council
“We always talk about football and the games, the next day. There are always differences of opinion, it’s logical. They are former teammates and one can speak clearly. We have shared many things, but it is sometimes difficult for six people to agree”.
Battaglia and the weight of the Copa Libertadores in Boca
“When you are out of the Cup, it seems that the rest is useless”.
Battaglia, on Boca’s performance during his tenure
“At times we have found the way it works. As soon as it was my turn to arrive we had passages of good football and then we had ups and downs. It is difficult to sustain it. In the last half we had found a way and we were on the up. The team had improved a lot”.
Battaglia and if he spoke with Riquelme before or after being fired from Boca
“No, I did not speak again. I met with the boys from the Council and they informed me of my departure.”
Battaglia and his position for the meeting between the players and the Council for the prizes
“I think these are things that have to be resolved from the beginning of the year. You have to have your head in what happens on the court. I think it reached a point where you didn’t have to talk. I don’t think it affected to the players, we competed well and deserved to pass. It didn’t happen for those things in football”.
The surprise for the departure of Izquierdoz de Boca
“I was surprised by the way and how it happened so quickly, but I was not there anymore.”
Battaglia and the controversial phrase about Boca’s post-elimination reinforcements with Corinthians
“At no time did I want to say that Boca needed a lot of reinforcements. I had never said it publicly, but behind closed doors. All the technicians say they need reinforcements. The moment may not have been the right one, but I answered a question that they asked me. Never I thought that might get me out of office.”
Battaglia and the importance of long-term projects
“There were moments when each game seemed like it was the end of the world. From winning to losing, everything changed too quickly. I am convinced that the processes should be carried out calmly. Gallardo recently said so. I think you have to believe in projects”.
Battaglia and the Almond theme
“At the time what happened happened, I don’t want to go into details. As the head of the group it was the decision I had to make and it was made. Then there was no turning back because it was what I had to do. It was the decision I had to make so that the group feels good and so that the boys from Inferiors know the values that they have to have”.
How is Battaglia after his departure from Boca
“I’m fine, occupying my head with other things and taking stock of what was done. We took on a difficult moment for the club and were able to qualify for the Libertadores and win the Copa Argentina. In football at the moment we did better and in others We were irregular.”
