BUENOS AIRES: Argentine club Boca Juniors fired coach Fernando Gago on Tuesday after losing to crosstown rival River Plate over the weekend.
Mauricio Serna, a member of Boca Juniors’ Football Council, announced Gago’s departure following the 2-1 defeat in the Argentine clasico played on Sunday.
“We’re here to make decisions, and late last night, we found that there is no way for him to be our coach,” Serna said. “We’re very grateful because he’s put in all his effort, but there are situations that have led us to make a final decision.”
The loss to River Plate was another blow to a team were eliminated in the early stages of Copa Libertadores, losing to Alianza Lima. It was the first time in club history that Boca were eliminated by a Peruvian team in the competition.
Gago, a former Real Madrid player, took over as coach of Boca Juniors last October after stepping down from his role at Mexico’s Chivas in the middle of the season to replace Diego Martínez. He coached 30 games, won 17 with five draws and eight losses.
Boca Juniors fire coach Fernando Gago after loss to rival River Plate
https://arab.news/bpthy
Boca Juniors fire coach Fernando Gago after loss to rival River Plate
- “We found that there is no way for him to be our coach,” Serna said
- It was the first time in club history that Boca were eliminated by a Peruvian team
Morocco achieve record FIFA ranking, Senegal rise to 12th
- Morocco moved up three spots in the January ranking to eighth
- The 2022 World Cup semifinalists’ previous best was 10th in April 1998
RABAT: Morocco have achieved their highest FIFA men’s world ranking, rising to eighth, despite losing the Africa Cup of Nations final to Senegal, who climbed to 12th on Monday.
Morocco were beaten 1-0 after extra time by Senegal in the decider in Rabat on Sunday, but the hosts had a chance to win the trophy with a last-gasp penalty at the end of regulation time.
However, Brahim Diaz squandered the kick after having to wait some 14 minutes for the Senegal players to return, as they walked off the field to protest the penalty decision.
Morocco moved up three spots in the January ranking to eighth. The 2022 World Cup semifinalists’ previous best was 10th in April 1998.
The highest ranking achieved by an African team was Nigeria’s fifth in April 1994, while Egypt posted the best ranking among Arab nations when they reached ninth in July 2010.
Champions Senegal, who emerged victorious for a second time in the last three editions, moved up seven spots to reach their highest-ever ranking. Their previous best was 17th, achieved in 2024.
The AFCON results have had a huge impact on the ranking of African teams, as several positions have shifted.
Bronze medallists Nigeria (26th) were the team that gained the most points, collecting 79.09 points to move up 12 spots, the same as Cameroon (45th), making them the biggest climbers.
Egypt, who reached the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations, climbed four places to 31st, three spots behind Algeria.
Gabon, who were eliminated in the group stage, lost 44.97 points to become the team that lost the most points, dropping to 86th. Equatorial Guinea, meanwhile, suffered the biggest fall, sliding 10 spots to 107th.
European champions Spain kept top spot, ahead of World Cup holders Argentina. France are third, followed by England, Brazil, Portugal and the Netherlands, with no change in the ranking of the top seven teams.
