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If knowledge gained through battle means anything, then Monterrey has newfound respect for Real Salt Lake.
Yet, Los Rayados, who arrived in Salt Lake City on Monday for the final leg of the CONCACAF Champions League series, are confident of earning a place in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Monterrey coach Victor Manuel Vucetich was, admittedly, surprised by RSL's performance in the 2-2 draw that opened the two-match series. Call it a lesson learned.
"We knew how they had been playing," he said. "I do think that some [strategies] they use, we are not familiar with. But I think they took good advantage of our own mistakes, they made the most out of these.
"We had plenty of scoring opportunities. We generated more scoring opportunities than they did."
On Wednesday at Rio Tinto Stadium (8 p.m.), Monterrey will try to halt RSL's bid to become the first-ever team from Major League Soccer to win the CONCACAF Champions League. A stunning late-game goal by RSL's Javier Morales on April 20 forced a 2-2 tie with Los Rayados.
"The truth is, the team was obviously prepared to win," said Monterrey striker Aldo de Nigris, who won't be on the field due to injury as well as a yellow-card suspension. "But it is a final. They are a good team, a very strong team that is performing well. I think here, it's going to be decided upon a single goal, and we will have to be focused all of the 90 minutes, just like any other finals match."
In many ways, the second leg of the final is a showdown of opposites. Monterrey was founded in 1945. It is the oldest and one of the most storied teams in Mexico's professional league.
RSL, born in 2005, might rightfully be seen by Monterrey as an upstart — albeit one that is on the top of its game. Real is the remaining obstacle as the four-time Mexican champion seeks its first ever CONCACAF title.
"Our perception now is that we have arrived here with satisfaction, with a lot of happiness knowing that we have arrived in a very difficult field," Monterrey midfielder Walter Ayovi said. "Salt Lake is a team that plays very well. Now we hope that we're able to do things right and that we get a positive result."
Yet some small cracks have appeared in the Mexican champions' foundation. Los Rayados' Mexican league playoff status has become cloudy thanks to a 1-1 tie at home to Puebla.
Also, Monterrey will be without club captain Luis Perez and de Nigris, both of whom picked up injuries in the first leg against RSL.
"The truth is, I'm saddened on that end, but, oh well, those things happen in soccer," de Nigris said. "I had such a [heavy] workload, that I had been playing in almost all matches of the team … and for [Mexico's] national team. And I believe that, in the end, it hurt me in the last game. But we have a great team, with great players. We are confident that we will become champions here."
On the surface, Monterrey is brimming with confidence. Why else would it bring two players who won't see the field unless it is to include them in hoisting the trophy before what is expected to be a sold-out stadium of 20,000?
"I believe that the rule of engagement at each game is to win," Vucetich said. "Today, I believe that, in order to come out as the champions, we must go in with that winning attitude, without going crazy about it, without going too far. I think we ought to be intelligent enough in order to meet this [challenge] in the same way.
"Obviously, we had to do the strongest investment ourselves playing at home. Today, I believe that the Utah team will have to decide whether to attack or defend itself, and it is a question for them to consider."
Josie Tizcareno Pereira is the editor of Ahora Utah. —
Los Rayados update
• Monterrey's Aldo de Nigris and DF Jesus Zavala are out of Wednesday's final due to cautions received in the first leg.
• Monterrey is 8-0-3 in the CCL tourney, outscoring opponents 18-8.
• The four-time Mexican champion seeks its first CONCACAF title in its nearly 66-year history. —
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