2019 CONCACAF Champions League semi-finals preview
Tigres-Santos and Monterrey-Sporting Kansas City are the semi-finals of the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League and the Kansas City mission, as the only MLS squad, is to avoid another all-Mexican final in this tournament.
The first leg of the semifinals will take place tomorrow when Tigres host Santos and this match could be a spectacle since both teams will be hungry for victory since in the 12th round of the 2019 Clausura, not only was Tigres defeated 3-0 in its visit to Azteca Stadium by América, also Santos lost against Atlas 1-0 in Jalisco.
The second semi-final will take place one day after when Monterrey hosts Sporting Kansas City at BBVA Stadium. Rayados are coming into the game following a dramatic 2-2 draw against Cruz Azul. There’s a lot at stake in this match for Rayados since the team owners have invested millions of dollars in gathering players who can help them collect a trophy in every tournament in which the squad is involved.
Since Monterrey wasted a two goals advantage against Cruz Azul, we can expect the lineup presented by Diego Alonso will be the best that he has available. In addition to the lousy result during their last match in Liga MX, the fact they could face Tigres in the final game of the continental tournament will be an extra motivation for the players because many of them were in the squad when their arch-rivals beat them in the final of the 2017 Apertura in their stadium.
For the return legs, on Wednesday, April 10th, Tigres will visit Santos and one day after Monterrey will travel to the United States to attend a stadium that was a nightmare for Toluca, since the Diablos Rojos, lost 3-0 during the Round of 16. That result was the beginning of the end for Hernán Cristante as head coach in Toluca. The semi-finals have a lot of star and firepower, fireworks are expected.
