Pachuca vs Tigres: who will miss the Champion of Champions final?
Both teams have a significant number of absentees heading into Sunday’s final at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The moment of truth has arrived. Pachuca and Tigres go head to head in this evening’s Champion of Champions final - the last official game before the start of the Apertura 2023 next weekend. However, neither side will be at full strength for the game - both have players out injured or serving some kind of suspension.
In the case of the recently-crowned Liga MX champions Tigres, they will be without two key players: Diego Lainez and Sebastián Córdova. Córdova had been called up for duty with Mexico at the Gold Cup but quit the camp after suffering muscular problems. Lainez was drafted in to replace him which means coach Robert Dante Siboldi is now without two of his key men and must find substitutes for both.
Pachuca also face selection problems. The big absentee is Eduardo ‘Chofis’ López who is resting after suffering a groin strain. It’s an important loss for the Tuzos who will be seeking to reach the peak of Mexican soccer for the first time. His place on the right wing could be filled by Antonio Figueroa.
Tonight’s game kicks off 2 p.m. PDT / 5 p.m. EDT (15:00 hours CST in Mexico) at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Los Angeles.