Claudio Makélélé reflects on Boca Juniors' 2000 victory over Real Madrid

Former Real Madrid midfielder Claudio Makélélé recently reflected on the 2000 Intercontinental Cup final in Tokyo, where Boca Juniors defeated Real Madrid 2-1. Makélélé praised the Argentine side, noting that the match was a significant learning experience regarding the intensity of Argentine football.

Makélélé specifically highlighted the difficulty of facing Juan Román Riquelme, stating, “Boca had Riquelme always in the midfield, it was very hard for me.” He credited Boca's victory to their hunger and determination, remarking that the team deserved the trophy because they were significantly better than Real Madrid that night.

Former Boca player Fernando Pandolfi also shared insights into the squad's dynamics during that period. He confirmed that manager Carlos Bianchi had to intervene with an emotional team talk to resolve internal tensions and player conflicts following a training ground dispute, ultimately uniting the squad before their historic victory.