Chivas Seeks Revenge in Concacaf Champions Cup Opener Against Cibao

MIAMI – The first week of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup will conclude with two first-round matchups on Thursday.

The inaugural winner of the competition, CD Guadalajara, will travel to the Dominican Republic to face Cibao FC, the runner-up of the 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship. Current Concacaf Player of the Year, Adalberto Carrasquilla, and Pumas UNAM will play Cavalry FC, champions of the Canadian Premier League.

Cibao FC and CD Guadalajara will meet at Estadio Cibao FC in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. Following their runner-up finish in the 2024 Caribbean Club Championship, Cibao aims to match their best-ever performance in the tournament, reaching the round of 16. Rivaldo Correa, the team’s leading scorer in the tournament with six goals, will be a player to watch in the 2025 Champions Cup.

Chivas de Guadalajara seeks to regain the Champions Cup trophy, which they previously won in 1962 and 2018. Roberto Alvarado, two-time Gold Cup champion with Mexico, leads the team’s scoring in the Clausura 2025 with two goals.

Cavalry FC hosts Pumas UNAM at Starlight Stadium in Langford, British Columbia. After claiming their first Canadian Premier League title, Cavalry FC looks to go beyond the First Round for the first time. The club debuted in 2024 and returns with players such as Tobias Warschewski, CPL Final MVP and Golden Boot winner.

Pumas UNAM, runner-up in 2022, seeks another strong campaign and their first Champions Cup title after winning the titles in 1980, 1982, and 1989. Current Concacaf Player of the Year Adalberto Carrasquilla, alongside Mexico international striker Guillermo Martínez, and two-time CCC champion, Rogelio Funes Mori, reinforce a strong Pumas squad.

Cibao FC will be hosting Chivas Thursday in the beginning of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup. Cibao FC playing for the second time in this tournament, faces Guadalajara, again, in what looks to be another exciting match-up.

Cibao FC was founded seven years ago and already counts five league titles and two cups. Qualifying to this competition is thanks to being runner-up in the Caribbean Cup, after being champion in its own country.

Cibao FC is hoping to leave their mark this season, by advancing further into the tournament, having lost only in the Caribbean Cup finals, this time with goals scored during a 2-1 away win, leaving the overall tie score 2-2, forcing Cibao FC to surrender the title to Cavalier FC.The last matchup of these two teams was seven years ago. At that time, Guadalajara played well, winning the two games and winning overall (7-0) .Chivas goals that year came in Dominican Republic with goals scored by Jesús Sánchez and José Juan Macías, whereas in Estadio Akron, Guadalajara’s goals came from Oswaldo Alanís, Carlos Cisneros, José Juan Macías, Alejandro Mayorga, and Alan Pulido.

Only Isaac Brizuela and Alan Pulido are the remaining Chivas players that were part of the 2018 roster. While for Cibao FC, Ernesto Trinidad, their right-back, played against Guadalajara in 2018.

This year, fans will experience something different than past editions; this tournament won’t be aired on Fox Sports. Instead, the matches can be streamed for free via Tubi, the streaming platform, and it’s anticipated the Concacaf’s YouTube channel.

Despite a draw with Querétaro, Coach Óscar García is hoping his squad will turn it around this tournament. Guadalajara’s lineup may include: Raúl Rangel, José Castillo, Gilberto Sepúlveda, Miguel Tapias, Mateo Chávez, Luis Romo, Fernando González, Érick Gutiérrez, Hugo Camberos, Yael Padilla, and Teun Wilke. The outcome is unknown, so keep watching, cheering, and staying tuned to discover what happens!