CF Pachuca, Tigres UANL bring Campeón de Campeones back to Carson

CARSON — For the seventh time in eight years, the Los Angeles area will be the site of the annual Campeón de Campeones.

The Campeón de Campeones is an emblematic match played between the winners of the two most recent Liga MX league tournaments. This year, C.F. Pachuca and Tigres UANL will be the teams squaring off at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Dignity Health Sports Park.

“We know that (Sunday) we already have another chance and we will face it with the greatest commitment, responsibility and with great enthusiasm,” Tigres midfielder Guido Pizarro said. “I think that this group has been characterized by always striving for more, and (Sunday) we will go for that title for ourselves, for our people, for our fans.”

C.F. Pachuca won the Apertura 2022 tournament, the first session of Liga MX play last year. Tigres UANL won the second session of Liga MX play, coming off a Clausura championship win over Chivas in May.

Sunday’s match will mark the eighth consecutive time Campeón de Campeones will be held in the United States. The winner will qualify to face LAFC for the Campeones Cup – a match against the reigning MLS champion – in September.

UANL is the only Mexican team to win the Campeones Cup, beating Toronto FC in 2018.

Tigres UANL’s offensive attack is led by midfielder Nicolás Ibáñez, who scored 16 goals in league play last season. Ibáñez played for Pachuca to start last season, but joined UANL in January, winning a championship with the club.

Tigres also has a good batch of young talent on its team that will look to fare well this upcoming Apertura season.

Diego Lainez is a 23-year-old midfielder who was recently called up to the Mexican national team.

“Yes, very proud that one more player from the club from the team has been summoned to the national team to defend Mexico,” Tigres UANL manager Robert Siboldi said. “I want to say that he has done a great job and without a doubt that he is important for us and he has earned a place to be part of the Mexico team.”

Pachuca boasts a formidable team led by goalkeeper Óscar Ustari. The 36-year-old Argentinian recorded 92 saves last season and had an overall record of 18-6.

Ustari said the key to Sunday’s matchup will be continuing the tradition of what has made Pachuca great in the past.

“Our strength, now and before, was not individuality, but group work and collective work,” Ustari said. “That is what has brought us here. We will continue in that same dynamic, looking for a collective functioning that makes us strong.”