Boca Juniors Take Legal Action Against Youth Player Over Riquelme Accusations

Boca Juniors have decided to take legal action against former youth player Leonel Coira, accusing him of "defamation and perjury," according to TyC Sports. Coira, currently playing for Metropolitan FA in Puerto Rico, publicly alleged that he was sidelined at the club for refusing to accept a representative allegedly linked to Cristian Riquelme, brother of club president Juan Román Riquelme.

The midfielder, part of Boca’s youth system and briefly promoted to the first team under Miguel Ángel Russo, claimed in an interview with Bolavip that his refusal led to being benched and eventually released. He insisted that the offer came with veiled threats and that he was warned not to speak publicly.

Boca’s legal department refutes Coira’s claims, asserting he received the same treatment as any youth player and was released for performance-related reasons, not politics. They argue that he never became a standout figure in the academy nor received national team call-ups, and that his departure followed standard procedures.

Coira also claimed that an agreement for a professional contract, signed during Daniel Angelici’s presidency, was ignored by the new board. He accused Riquelme of avoiding direct conversations and sending intermediaries instead. “There are many kids like me who went through the same,” Coira stated. “They handled everything poorly.”

The legal dispute now moves to the courts, with Boca aiming to defend its reputation amid ongoing scrutiny of the club’s youth development policies.