Super Clasico Aftermath: Club America Hurting Within

After this weekend's humiliating 3-0 loss to arch-rivals Chivas de Guadalajara, Club America is looking to recover and get back to focusing on both  the Clausura 2011 and Copa Libertadores. In both of these competitions, the team is very much alive.

Everyone knows Club America is an attack-minded team and that the defense is the squad's main and maybe only weakness. Chivas de Guadalajara exposed exactly that at the Estadio Omnilife and sent their rivals back to Mexico City with a loss that was almost a flashback of the 5-0  game that took place in the Invierno 96 tournament.

A rich history of both clubs make this rivalry what it is today, and whether it is pre, post or during the match, emotions are always running high during Super Clasico time.

The heated words after a Super Clasico, this time coming from Club America, can be a sign of anger, desperation, shame and any other verb that fits the crime. Clearly this week has not been short of players and managers coming out and venting to the world.

Club America's Vicente Sanchez in an interview a day after the match said; "It is hard, it is hard to talk about this week, the squad is hurt." 

In a world of technology which helps to keep us all connected, it is much easier to become connected with players and coaches, Carlos Reinoso being one of them, and a very open one at that. Club America's manager tweeted yesterday "Everyone tells me the same thing, Layun, Vuoso, Olivera, Cervantes out but who else do we have? Don't be like that, they are good men and good professionals." 

Although Reinoso seems to use that Tweet as a defense for his players, by the looks of it, Club America's manager seems to agree with everyone, and even asks the question "Who else do we have?" 

Well there isn't much more to dig from and that Tweet sure won't help motivate any of the players mentioned.

Club America is well positioned in both tournaments they are playing. Second place on the group in the Clausura 2011 but only two points clear of the three teams below them. In the Copa Libertadores, Las Aguilas are the sole leaders with a two point lead over Argentinos Juniors and Nacional de Montevideo, the last mentioned being Club America's next and final match in the group stage. Although in good position in both tournaments, a loss in either competition can place America on thin ice and take the future out of their hands.

Which brings the question, is Club America's squad deep enough to compete and win both tournaments? Forward Vicente Sanchez does not seem to think so.

"Right now we are betting on both tournaments, it will only get more complicated if we make it to the next round in the Copa and the torneo (Clausura 2011). It is hard and I think if we make it on both tournaments we are going to have to decide on one. In both I don't think we can."

The frustration of losing what is perhaps the most important match of the season combined with being the worst defense in the league is taking its toll at Coapa and if anyone is going to decide which tournament to choose over the other, Sanchez is the last person quilified to do so.

For a team that is one of the biggest clubs in Mexico, even in the Americas, that mentality of putting one tournament ahead of another is not well looked upon. But Vicente Sanchez is not far off from reality of the position Club America is in, not enough depth to choose from. There is not even enough for one squad. Hence the lack of a "9" or striker in the lineup. In my opinion, Reinoso's biggest mistake on Sunday.

The Super Clasico is in the past now, and although it leaves a scar, it does not kill or eliminate Club America. Once again, well alive in America's biggest club tournament and the home league. They depend on only themselves to dictate how far they can get. 

Club America needs to move on quickly and adopt the mentality that they may have lost the battle but have not lost the war.