Will André Jardine be on the bench if Club América reach the Clausura 2025 final?
América’s head coach faces a touchline ban after being sent to the stands in Las Águilas’ semi-final first-leg defeat to Cruz Azul.
Thursday was a tough night for all fans of Club América. Although Las Águilas were marginally the better team, it was Cruz Azul who claimed a 1-0 win in the first leg of the clubs’ Liga MX Clausura 2025 semi-final, thanks to a precise header by Ignacio Rivero in the 58th minute.
And to make matters worse, América’s head coach, André Jardine, incurred a touchline ban when he was sent to the stands shortly after the hour mark.
Furious América boss sent off for referee remonstrations
Having just given Cruz Azul the lead, Rivero committed a reckless tackle on Álvaro Fidalgo, a key player for América. Initially, referee Luis Enrique Santander only issued a yellow card, much to Jardine’s fury.
It didn’t take long for the video assistant referee to call Santander to the pitch-side monitor to review the incident, as Rivero’s challenge was clearly a red card offense.
As the official approached the monitor, Jardine confronted him with heated protests and was promptly ejected, further infuriating both him and the visiting supporters.
In the referee’s post-game report, it was stated that the reason for Jardine’s expulsion was: “Deliberately leaving the technical area to show disagreement or protest to one of the officials.”
How many games will Jardine miss?
Jardine has been handed a one-game suspension for his actions, so if América can pull off a second-leg comeback and reach the final, the 45-year-old will be able to return to the bench to face either Tigres or Toluca in the championship decider.
What do América need to reach the Clausura 2025 final?
For the fifth time under Jardine’s management, América need a victory in the return leg of a knockout tie.
A win by any scoreline will be enough for Los Azulcremas: even if the three-time defending champions triumph by a single goal and the aggregate score is tied, their higher position in the regular-season standings will send them into the final.
In the event of a loss or a draw in this weekend’s second leg, América’s dream of a fourth consecutive Liga MX championship will be at an end, along with the dominance they have built up over the last year and a half.
América vs Cruz Azul: when, where, how to watch?
The semi-final second leg between América and Cruz Azul is scheduled for Sunday, May 18, with kick-off at 9:15 p.m. ET/6:15 p.m. PT.
Viewers in the U.S. can watch América vs Cruz Azul on TUDN USA and Univisión. Your streaming options include fubo, which offers new users a free trial.
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