Juan Roman Riquelme seems certain to be back playing for Boca Juniors this weekend after being sidelined by injuries and new coach Julio Cesar Falcioni.
The 32-year-old Riquelme, the most-watched player in Argentina's Clausura, trained on Wednesday with the first team. He has not played since Boca was humiliated by Godoy Cruz in a season-opening 4-1 loss. Since then he has been out with a right ankle injury and recurring problems with his surgically repaired left knee.
Boca has only four points from its first five games and Falcioni - who is coming under increasing fan pressure - favors a faster-moving game that goes against the slower, playmaking skills of the former Barcelona midfielder.
Boca Juniors were beaten 1-0 on Saturday by archrival San Lorenzo. They have scored only twice, a dismal start for a club favored by many to win the title following the hiring of Falcioni three months ago from Banfield.
''We came here to do things correctly,'' Falcioni said after the loss to San Lorenzo. ''And we'll stay until we do. There is no doubt about this.''
Boca faces Olimpo on Sunday at La Bombonera, Boca's home ground where another loss is nearly unthinkable. Olimpo has 10 points, two behind leaders Racing.
One of Argentina's most popular clubs, Boca has struggled in recent seasons and has gone through a handful of coaches in just over a year - Falcioni, Claudio Borghi, Alfio Basile, Abel Alves and Roberto Pompei.
