LEAGUES CUP
LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo calls Monterrey “a top, top team”
LAFC’s Leagues Cup journey continues on Friday against Los Rayados, who defeated Liga MX champions Tigres with a late penalty.
The 2023 Leagues Cup continues on Friday night with a quartet of fascinating fixtures.
Perhaps the most enticing of the four quarter-finals sees MLS Cup holders LAFC take Monterrey, who finished top of the Liga MX Clausura. LAFC look to be the form team in this year’s Leagues Cup and they come into the game off the back of two comprehensive victories: a 4-0 win over Real Salt Lake followed a 7-1 demolition of FC Juárez.
However LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo will not let his players ease off and is no doubt of the challenge that awaits them on Friday.
“Monterey is a top, top team with no weaknesses,” Cherundolo said ahead of the game. “It’s just a very well-balanced team, very hard team to beat. Also, for me, not a typical Liga MX team.”
‘Physical’ Monterrey can cause problems
Liga MX teams sometimes have a reputation of being technically good but lacking the physicality of other leagues. However Cherundolo was keen to emphasise that Monterrey know how to compete physically.
“It’s a team who you could place in a European league and wouldn’t look out of place,” he explained.
“They’re big, they’re strong, they’re physical, they’re fast, they can play vertical, they can play slow, they can combine. They have some finishers and some excellent defenders.”
In the most recent league campaign in Mexico, Monterrey conceded just 14 goals in 17 games.
LAFC show their dominance
Despite the Liga MX side’s undeniable strengths, LAFC will still come into the game as slight favourites. Their faultless record in this year’s Leagues Cup has come as key man Dénis Bouanga has regained form, scoring five goals in the last two games.
“I think it’s quite difficult to play against us when we go up,” Cherundolo said after the win over Juárez.
Being ruthless after taking the lead is clearly something that Cherundolo strives for and LAFC have shown themselves to be clinical in recent weeks.
“That is something we talk about,” he said. “We train, we know our habits and our principles. When we apply them correctly, we’ll hurt teams when they do try to risk things and set numbers forward and open up.”
“It would be normal for the guys, and psychologically easy, to sit back and just kind of let the game end 2-0, which is kind of over then,” Cherundolo added.
“But this team doesn’t know how to slow down, which is great. And it’s fun to watch.”