The 2001–02 Club Atlético Boca Juniors season was the 72nd consecutive Primera División season played by the senior squad.
Summary During summer several players left the club included right back defender Hugo Ibarra, Colombian full back Jorge Bermudez and midfielder Anibal Matellan. Also, Colombian Goalkeeper Oscar Cordoba almost was signed by Tottenham Hotspur prompting Mauricio Macri to block the transfer, however, Cordoba got the transfer out during January towards Serie A team Perugia .
Macri reinforced the squad with central defender Rolando Schiavi from Argentinos Juniors, right back defender Jorge Daniel Martinez, Brazilian defender Jorginho Paulista on loan from Udinese Calcio and purely for Japanese football supporters Naohiro Takahara. With the exception of Schiavi the arrivals were a total failure and most of them were transferred out during December.
In the Apertura Tournament the team finished on 3rd spot, eleven points below of Champions Racing. Meanwhile, in 2001 Intercontinental Cup the squad was defeated by German side Bayern München after extra time.
Head coach Carlos Bianchi started negotiations for a renewal after two years of contract (the last renovation was in December 1999) and after several rumors Bianchi chose to not accept the Board conditions. Then, Macri appointed during December Uruguayan coach Oscar Tabarez former manager of Boca Juniors during 1992 Apertura Tournament which the team won and ended eleven years of League drought.
Owing to government economic measures known as Corralito in the Clausura Tournament, Macri reinforced the team with a few players included forward Héctor Bracamonte, defender Diego Crosa and Jonathan Fabbro the squad finished on 3rd spot again, eight points below of Champions River Plate.
Meanwhile, in 2002 Copa Libertadores the squad reached the quarterfinals stage and was eliminated by future Champions Paraguayan side Olimpia after a 0–1 defeat in the second leg of the series.
The season is best remembered by League debut of future club legend forward 16-yr-old Carlos Tevez against Talleres de Cordoba on 21 October 2000 .
Squad
Transfers
In Pos. Name From Type DF Rolando Schiavi Argentinos Juniors MF Jorge Daniel Martinez DF Jorginho Paulista Udinese Calcio loan DF Juan Forchetti FW Naohiro Takahara Júbilo Iwata DF Nahuel Fioretto GK Willy Caballero DF Cesar Alberto Gonzalez FW Carlos Tevez
Out Pos. Name To Type DF Hugo Ibarra FC Porto DF Jorge Bermudez Olympiacos MF Anibal Matellan Schalke 04 MF Fernando Pandolfi Velez Sarsfield DF Emanuel Ruiz DF Facundo Imboden DF Esteban José Herrera loan DF Cesar Osvaldo La Paglia DF Elías Bazzi
January
In Pos. Name From Type FW Héctor Bracamonte CD Badajoz DF Diego Crosa Real Betis DF Jonathan Fabbro RCD Mallorca B MF Abel Balbo AS Roma
Out Pos. Name To Type GK Oscar Cordoba AC Perugia MF Roberto Colautti MF Nahuel Fioretto FW Naohiro Takahara MF Antonio Barijho DF Jorginho Paulista
Competitions
Torneo Apertura
League table
Position by round
Matches
Torneo Clausura
League table
Position by round
Matches
Copa Mercosur
Copa Libertadores
Group stage
Eighthfinals
Quarterfinals
Intercontinental Cup
FIFA Club World Championship
As winners of the 2000 Copa Libertadores, Boca Juniors was one of the 12 teams that were invited to the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship, which would be hosted in Spain from 28 July to 12 August 2001. However, the tournament was cancelled, primarily due to the collapse of ISL, which was a marketing partner of FIFA at the time.
Statistics
Players statistics
References
External links Club Atlético Boca Juniors official web site