Argentina's Juan Roman Riquelme celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during their 2010 World Cup qualifying match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires on Saturday. Riquelme scored both goals in Argentina's 2-0 win. - ap

madrid, (reuters)

Villarreal will not change their mind about sidelining Juan Roman Riquelme despite the playmaker's virtuoso performance for Argentina in their 2-0 win over Chile in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday.

"We took a decision sometime ago and our policy is very clear," club director Juan Manuel Llaneza told reporters yesterday. "We hope that in December the player and the club can find a dignified solution to all this.

"At the moment, we haven't received any offers for the player, but I'm sure they will come in December."

Riquelme fell out with Villarreal and their Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini midway through last season and was loaned to his former club Boca Juniors for the second part of the campaign.

He inspired the Argentine side to victory in the Libertadores Cup, but returned to Villarreal after a possible move to Atletico Madrid fell through and has not played for the Primera Liga side this season.

His last competitive game was in Argentina's defeat to Brazil in the final of the Copa America in July, but he emerged from three months of inactivity to score two majestic free-kicks and get his team off to a winning start in the World Cup qualifiers.

"It was a very evenly balanced game which Roman decided with two great goals," said Llaneza. "I don't think Roman has anything to prove to anyone. We all know he is a great player, we never doubted that."

But the Villarreal director made it clear that the player's performance had not led to a change of heart.

"I think the time has come for Roman to finish at Villarreal, but if that doesn't happen he will carry on getting paid his salary and training according to the instructions of the coach in case he is ever needed," he said.

"The team is very strong at the moment and I don't think the situation has affected them very much."

Villarreal have made an impressive start to the season and are in third place in the Primera Liga behind Real Madrid and Barcelona.