Greetings Cantina patrons, we hope you are excited for the Liga MX Clausura 2017 final as much as we are. The final promises to be a good one with an on fire Tigres taking on a Chivas squad hungry for glory. And there will be a Liguilla first as both TV Azteca and Televisa will share coverage of the games. This new alliance, which also shared the Canelo-Chavez fight, is said to be an effort to retain League and National team TV rights from foreign competitors. While the Liga MX season comes to an end the Mexican national team begins preparing for back to back summer tourneys: FIFA Confederations Cup and CONCACAF Gold Cup and World Cup Qualifiers.
La Gran Final Preview
Chivas and Tigres road to the final could not have been more different as is what is on the line for both clubs. Chivas, which had not reached a league final in 11 years, benefited from their 3rd place league finish which served as tie braker in their draws with both Atlas and Toluca to reach the final. Tigres on the other hand outscored their opponents Monterrey and Tijuana 10-1 with a dominating performance. Tigres are the favorites to take the series and join the select list of clubs that have won back to back league titles. As for Chivas they will have to make the best of their goal scoring chances if they hope to tame the Tigre. Unfortunately, the odds of Alan Pulido going on a scoring binge are as good as the striker being kidnapped by a drug cartel for a second-time and kung-fu fighting his way to freedom whilst wearing a colorful romper that would make Jorge Campos Jealous.
Mole Tour Training Camp under way
The Mexican national team has begun preperations for their busy summer, which includes friendly games against Croatia and Ireland, World Cup qualifying games against Honduras and the United States as well as FIFA Confederations Cup and CONCACAF Gold Cup, at the Centro de Alto Rendimiento. Missing from Juan Carlos Osorio’s squad are the Chivas and Tigres players that received a call up. Also, Marco Fabián, Raúl Jiménez and Carlos Salcedo who still needed by their clubs will report with the squad in Denver prior to the Ireland friendly. Giovani Dos Santos, who did not received permission from the L.A Galaxy to participate in Mexico’s friendly tour will report with the national team on June 4th for the World Cup qalifying games.
Aguirre headed to MLS?
Javier ‘el Vasco’ Aguirre venture in the United Arab Emirates has come to an end after winning the leagues Cup title with Al Wahda. Aguirre plans to take a short break from coaching and return next year. “I turned down an offer to remain at the club a month ago because of personal reasons. It’s been a while since I have been with my family, my sons, my wife and I. I considered that I owed myself a break after 18 or 20 years of working,” Aguirre told reporters. “I have a various offers from China and for the MLS but wont be until January.”
This episode we discussed the Juan Cambios Osorio controversial 8 man rotation and barely getting by New Zealand in Confed Cup. Panelists were critical of the Mexico coach, until one, Dan, came on to defend his boy. He did get by NZ and JCO was able to rest his players.
