CHIVAS CONVERGE ON CAPITAL Mexican champions prepare for D.C. United
By Joel Aceves LASoccerNews.com
Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista has had a turbulent league season but is focused on the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals. Photo by Luis Bueno/LASoccerNews.com
With their minds set on the FIFA Club World Cup, Chivas de Guadalajara traveled to Washington D.C for their semifinal match up against MLS giants D.C. United on Thursday.
The reigning Mexican league champions look to extend their domestic success to the international stage with the CONCACAF Champions Cup as their first step in conquering an international title.
Indeed, Chivas has not tasted international glory in over 40 years, since they won the very first CONCACAF Champions Cup. The club’s mediocre international record has vastly improved in the past years with valiant displays in the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores.
However, constant national team call-ups left the club depleted and out of the South American tournament on two occasions, in the 2005 and 2006 semifinals, but there is no such obstacle now. Current Mexico coach Hugo Sanchez has proven flexible in not calling up too many team players for friendly internationals, which helps given that Chivas is the core of the national team. Thus, Chivas will be traveling to Washington D.C with a complete squad knowing that they can not afford any slip ups this far into the tournament.
Despite not knowing much about their rivals, Chivas knows better than to underestimate United.
“We have better understanding of American soccer,” commented Chivas boss Jose Manuel “Chepo” de la Torre. “We always concentrate on our immediate games, and United is next in the agenda. We will observe them and let our players be aware of their rivals.”
“I know very little of United,” central defender Hector Reynoso said. “I only know that they have fast and strong players, but I am sure Chepo will key us in about which players to look out for.”
Chivas has vowed not to let their upcoming league match, the superclasico against archrivals America, get in the way of their Champions Cup draw.
“We work hard for every match and now the most important one for us is D.C. United, and we will give them the importance that they deserve,” Gonzalo Pineda told reporters. “Our main objective is to reach the FIFA Clubs World Cup and Chivas wants to be there.”
Adolfo “Bofo” Bautista echoed Pineda’s words.
“We must first focus on D.C., and after that match we can concentrate on the Clasico, but our first obstacle is D.C.,” Bautista said.
The volatile Chivas striker seems to have put behind his differences with head coach de la Torre and also recovered from his knee injury.
“I am ready, I have learned from my mistakes, its part of football,” Bautista admitted. “Physically I also feel good; I am ready for what the coach decides.”
And before leaving to Washington, Bautista issued a challenge.
“We need to show the difference between Mexican clubs and MLS”
