Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini insists they're a better team without Juan Roman Riquelme.

The Argentine completed his move to Boca Juniors on Friday and Pellegrini, who refused to consider Riquelme for his first team since a bust-up last season, said: "Eleven months ago, the team took another path, we all know that was due to circumstances that do not merit attention now, but at this time I believe that Villarreal has shown that you do not need to settle on one player.

"For me, it was more a problem between the club and player. It was something that had to be solved in the best possible way for the two parties and this has happened."