BATTLE FOR A SPOT IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
Xoloitzcuintles host New York Red Bulls in quarterfinals, first leg
TIJUANA (March 5, 2018) –Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles is back in the international stage. Coach Diego Cocca’s team hosts New York Red Bulls Tuesday in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.
The first leg match of the home-and-home series is set for a 7 p.m. (Pacific) kickoff. Teams competing in the tournament are looking for a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Club Tijuana finished preparing for this match with a morning practice Monday at Estadio Caliente. Cocca and midfielder Damian Musto spoke to the media about the match during a news conference.
“We are happy, continuing to work while knowing that this will be a difficult game,” Cocca said about facing the Major League Soccer team. “(Winning) the Champions League is also a dream of ours and we give this great importance. We are eager for the game to start.
“We will be a competitive team that will pressure the rival, like we always are at home. It doesn’t matter who we play. Of course, we respect the opponent, which will be a tough and difficult one. A team that runs a lot and is strong physically. But our idea will not change.”
This will be the second time that Club Tijuana will face an MLS team in the quarterfinals. It played against the LA Galaxy in the 2013-2014 version of the competition.
“We expect a tough and physical team,” Musto said. “It has a strong presence with fast players from midfield on. They have very fast and powerful strikers like many of the teams do in the league in the United States.”
