América Prepares for Tijuana Play-In Amidst National Team Call-Ups

In a recent update from Mexico City, the head coach of Club América, André Jardine, confirmed that all players called up for national team duties will be available for the crucial play-in match against Tijuana in the Apertura 2024 Mexican league. Club América is scheduled to visit Tijuana on Thursday night as part of the play-in round to secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the tournament.

Jardine acknowledged the complexities of preparing for such an important game with several of his key players participating in international matches during the FIFA window. Among these are Rodrigo Aguirre and Brian Rodríguez from Uruguay, Diego Valdés from Chile, Cristian Borja from Colombia, Alejandro Zendejas from the United States, and Henry Martín, Luis Malagón, and Israel Reyes from Mexico.

“Regarding the players on national duty, we have to wait to see who will be fit to play. Perhaps those who are less fatigued from their international commitments will feature more prominently,” Jardine stated during a press conference. He emphasized that the team is ready for any scenario and is counting on all players to contribute.

As other teams were involved in World Cup qualifiers and regional tournaments, Uruguay, Chile, and Colombia had matches on Tuesday, while the United States secured a 4-2 victory over Jamaica in the CONCACAF Nations League on Monday, and Mexico was set to face Honduras on Tuesday.

Zendejas will travel from San Luis, Missouri, to Tijuana to join the team, as he played only a few minutes in the US’s match. Martín and Malagón saw no action in Mexico’s first match against Honduras, where Reyes started. They are expected to fly to Tijuana on Wednesday.

The FIFA break has also provided a valuable opportunity for Club América to recover some of their injured players. Sebastián Cáceres and Ramón Juárez are fit again, and Víctor Dávila from Chile is progressing well in his recovery from a fibula fracture. “We have trained with a significant portion of our squad and can field a strong team to aim for victory,” noted Jardine.

The América squad is striving to become the first Mexican team to win three consecutive league titles since the adaptation of two annual tournaments in 1996. The previous team to achieve a three-peat was América itself, between 1983 and 1985. Jardine expressed his commitment to defending their recent successes and preparing his team optimally for the match against Tijuana.

«We will connect in Tijuana with high energy and aim to secure our place in the quarterfinals,» Jardine remarked, reflecting on the strategic importance of entering the top eight of the Mexican football league. He urged tournament coordinators to reconsider schedule alignments to better accommodate international commitments.