FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Copa Argentina - Round of 16 - Boca Juniors v River Plate - Estadio Ciudad de la Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina - August 4, 2021 Boca Juniors coach Miguel Angel Russo Pool via REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -Miguel Angel Russo is set to return as coach of Boca Juniors ahead of the Club World Cup, a club spokesman confirmed on Monday.
Russo will take the reins for his third stint with the Argentine giants, having previously coached the team in 2007 and 2020-2021, leading them to win four titles, including the Copa Libertadores.
After leaving Boca, the experienced 69-year-old coach spent time at Rosario Central and most recently at San Lorenzo, with whom he suffered elimination from the Argentine league semi-finals on Sunday.
"Miguel and I have come to an agreement. All he has to do now is officially sever his ties with San Lorenzo, which should be easy for him," the spokesman told Reuters, declining to offer further details.
Russo will replace Fernando Gago, who was sacked last month after Boca lost the Argentine Superclasico against arch-rivals River Plate and had a poor run including getting knocked out of the Libertadores in the preliminary round.
Boca start their Club World Cup campaign on June 16 in the United States, where they will compete in Group C against Bayern Munich, Benfica and Auckland City.
(Report by Ramiro Scandolo. Translation by Angelica Medina in Mexico CityEdited by Javier Leira and Christian Radnedge)
