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The very first major piece of silverware in Liga MX is up for grabs this Sunday when StubHub Center in Carson, California takes center stage for the 2017 edition of the Campeón de Campeones. The 2016 Liga MX Apertura champion Tigres takes on the 2017 Liga MX Clausura champion Chivas.
As early season games go, it doesn’t get any better than this. Of course, there are plenty of nuances to mention for this match, but both of these teams are going into the 2017 Apertura season expecting big things.
Tigres have been something of a constant presence in recent Liga MX campaigns. The northern giants boast of one of the most talented squads in all of Liga MX, and there is a reason why they have reached three of the last four Liga MX finals. Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti remains as one of the most prolific managers in Liga MX history, and thanks to his guidance, Tigres has been a model of consistency in Liga MX.
It goes without saying, against Chivas, Tigres will be taking on the current Liga MX champions, the same team they lost to in the final just a few months ago. Matias Almeyda’s men were deserved champions last time around, and they will be looking to take down Tigres once again.
The problem for Chivas, however, is that they will be without a large portion of their squad due to the Confederations Cup and Gold Cup. What’s more, they will be without star striker Alan Pulido, who is out for a large amount of time due to a shoulder injury. This takes a bit of the shine away from the match, but they have more than enough talent to compensate.
Whether you consider it a glorified friendly or not, make no mistake this game has the potential to be a statement game. Both teams have the same objective, to be champions in the 2017 Apertura, and first impressions matter.
Date: Sunday, July 16
Time: 7:45 PM Pacific, 9:45 PM Central, 10:45 PM Eastern
Venue: StubHub Center, Carson, California
Television: Univision (US-Spanish), Univision Deportes (US-Spanish), Gala TV (Mexico), Azteca 13(Mexico), TDN(Mexico)
Streaming: fuboTV (Free trial + monthly subscription), Univision NOW