Defending Liga MX Champions Club Deportivo Guadalajara arrived to Los Angeles, California for their Copa de Campeones match against Tigres UANL at the Stub Hub Center with the intention of making history. A win over the ‘felines’ would make Chivas the first Mexican club to win a Treble in the modern era. The excitement generated by the club’s good form was demonstrated by the hundreds of fans that showed up to the team’s hotel to greet their arrival.
⚽️ | Aficionados esperan la llegada de @Chivas en Los Ángeles. pic.twitter.com/WOwM3sj1ka
— Univision Deportes (@UnivisionSports) July 15, 2017
“We are very motivated with the possibility of winning another title,” Carlos Fierro told reporters. “We are always thinking about achieving more than what we already have, it is pleasing to think about what we have experienced having won the Cup and League last season but we now have new goals and aspirations we now have another final and we want to win it, that is what we have been preparing for during pre-season.”
“We are aware that winning any game will not be easy just because we are defending champions, we have the responsibility of always giving our best effort and the fact that we are missing many teammates is not an excuse, the players that are here will play the best we can in order to beat Tigres and return home with a trophy,” continued the Chivas striker.
Missing teammates will indeed hinder Chivas possibilities of winning the treble. The club has been plagued by a string of injuries and national team call-ups. Currently competing at the Gold Cup are the likes of Jair Pereira, Orbelin Pineda, Rodolfo Pizzaro, Hedgardo Marin and even upstart Alejandro Mayorga. Add to that the recent injuries of Alan Pulido, sidelined with a fractured arm, and Carlos Cisneros who is set to miss the whole season.
The price of winning the treble could prove costly for a Chivas squad that due to their lack of player options might risk using players that are still recovering. Javier ‘la Chofis’ Lopez, Angel Zaldivar and Isaac Brizuela have not fully recovered but the desire for Chivas to win could force head coach Matias Almeyda to take such a risk.
“This Sunday we will be playing for another title and we want to win, we have the desire and intensity to do so,’ added Matias Ameyda. “Tigres are always favorites [to win] because of their squad but showing the same heart we showed in the final we can beat them,” assured the Chivas boss.
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