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Remarkable return Bianchi is first coach to win four Libertadores titlesPosted: Thursday July 03, 2003 11:52 AMSAO PAULO (Reuters) -- Carlos Bianchi, who once dedicated an Argentine championship to his dog, completed a remarkable return to Boca Juniors when he became the first coach to win four South American Libertadores Cup titles on Wednesday. Bianchi, whose bald head and white hair give him the appearance of a mad scientist, added to the titles he won with fellow Argentines Velez Sarsfield in 1994 and then with Boca in 2000 and 2001. The softly-spoken 54-year-old amazingly won his fourth title only six months after rejoining Boca, having left the club at the end of 2001, with a 3-1 victory (5-1 on aggregate) over Brazil's Santos in Sao Paulo on Wednesday. Bianchi, a former striker with Velez and France's Paris St Germain in the 1970s, began his coaching career in France where he had stints at Reims and Nice and third division Paris FC. He joined Velez in 1993 and made an immediate impact as he led one of the less fashionable Buenos Aires clubs, to three domestic titles -- two championships are played every year in Argentina -- and the Libertadores in the space of four years. His team, led by charismatic Paraguayan goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert, also beat Italy's AC Milan in the Intercontinental Cup final at the end of 1994. Boosted by this success, Bianchi returned again to Europe. In 1996, he took over at Italy's AS Roma but, after being blamed by local media for the team's poor results, was fired in 1997, less than halfway through his two-year contract. Bianchi returned to Argentina, joined Boca, the country's most popular club, and pulled them out of the doldrums, winning three domestic titles as well as the Libertadores in 2000 and 2001 with a team inspired by Juan Roman Riquelme. At the end of 2001, Bianchi left, claiming he needed a break, and was replaced by Oscar Tabarez. The Uruguayan, however, never emerged from his predecessor's shadow and left after a frustrating year in which Boca failed to win either Argentine championship and were knocked out in the quarterfinals of the Libertadores. During the time, Bianchi received offers to coach other teams, including the national sides of Mexico and Chile but instead returned to Boca, taking over from Tabarez in January. Asked what his secret was after Wednesday's final, Bianchi replied: "My secret is to have good players. It's the players who win the titles."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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