Aguero gets backing from former coach

Boca Juniors coach Julio Cesar Falcioni has backed Argentina striker Sergio Aguero to succeed at new club Manchester City.

The 23-time Argentina Primera Division champions are in London to take part in the Emirates Cup, alongside English Premier League hosts Arsenal, Paris Saint Germain and the New York Red Bulls.

Boca take on Arsenal on Saturday before tackling PSG a day later, but it was Aguero’s move to Manchester City – said to be worth 38 million pounds – that led the questioning to Falcioni on Friday.

“He (Aguero) is a special player. He stood out from the rest of the players from an early age,” said Falcioni, who coached Aguero at Independiente before the forward’s departure to Atletico Madrid in 2006..

“We were lucky to have him with us. We were able to give him that continuity he needed to come to Europe and become a better professional. He is a different player, and I ‘m sure he is going to do very well here just as he did in Atletico Madrid.”

Falcioni made it clear that – despite their long trip to London – Boca were harbouring no inferiority complex for the Emirates Cup.

“PSG and Arsenal are great teams, but we are focusing on our preparations,” he said.

“We are part of a great club, the most important club in Argentina, and we always play having in mind the fact that Boca Juniors is a very prestigious club.”

Favourite son Juan Roman Riquelme is part of the Boca squad in London, and revealed he had the chance to take his career to the Premier League when he left La Liga outfit Villarreal in 2008.

The tug-of-war for his services before he inevitably elected to return to Boca Juniors has the 33-year-old midfielder well placed to comment on the predicament of Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, who is being linked with boyhood club Barcelona.

“Cesc Fabregas is a very important player for Arsenal and people love him here. Barcelona want him so let’s hope there can be a happy ending for both Cesc and Arsenal,” Riquelme said.