León Faces Tigres in Key Showdown with James Rodríguez

LEÓN, Mexico – On Saturday, February 22, León will host Tigres in a crucial Liga MX match as ‘La Fiera’ aims to preserve their unbeaten streak and maintain their position at the top of the standings. Colombian midfielder James Rodríguez has emerged as a standout player this season, contributing significantly to León’s success with two goals and four assists in seven matches.

Rodríguez has been in impressive form, having started six of those seven matches and logging over 535 minutes of play. His leadership both physically and tactically on the field is evident; he recently traveled back to his own area to help with defense during a vital away match against Club América, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

In an interview with TUDN, Rodríguez expressed his commitment to supporting his teammates. “Since the first day, I wanted to help my teammates. I’m just one of them. They are helping me a lot, and I’m grateful for that. Each match has been against great rivals, and we look forward to another challenge on Saturday. We want to win,” he said.

After eight matches, León remains unbeaten and sits at the top with 20 points. The upcoming match against Tigres is particularly significant as they face a competitor that is currently third in the league with 16 points. Tigres heads into the game sporting three consecutive victories in both Liga MX and the CONCACAF Champions League.

The last encounter between León and Tigres took place in September 2024, resulting in a 2-2 draw. León’s coach, Eduardo Berizzo, praised Rodríguez’s defensive efforts against América and highlighted the positive energy within the team. “James supported our defense and made a great effort,” Berizzo commented. “We are a very positive team with great energy, and James is a big part of that.”

However, Tigres will be missing four key players for the match: André-Pierre Gignac, Fernando Gorriarán, Ozziel Herrera, and Rómulo Zwarg. Coach Veljko Paunovic believes staying alert against León’s potent attack, led by Rodríguez, will be crucial. “We need to be at our best and remain close and alert when they have the ball. Without James, León has caused us problems in the past. We have to be sharp in our defense and make the most of our opportunities,” he stated.