Posted by The standout match of Round 9 of the Clausura 2020 is América’s visit to Pumas’ Estadio Olímpico Universitario for another edition of the Clásico Capitalino. Even though they both hail from Mexico City and are two of Mexico’s “Big 4” clubs, the rivalry between Pumas and América only began after the 1984-85 final, which América won 4-2 on aggregate after a controversial 3-1 win in an unprecedented 3rd leg played at a neutral venue. There is a strong ideological component to this rivalry, with América, backed by communications giant Grupo Televisa, famed for fielding expensive international stars like Iván Zamorano and Claudio Lopez, while Pumas rely on their academy to make up for a financial disadvantage. Here are 5 burning questions heading into another installment of this gripping rivalry:
1) Can Pumas Exorcise Their Demons?
This is always the biggest match of the season for Pumas, but recent history against América and their stuttering league form make this the most important match of head coach Míchel’s tenure so far. The last few years have brought repeated embarrassments for Pumas against their bitter rivals. Henry Martín secured a 2-2 draw for 9-man América in injury time of their Apertura 2018 regular season match, in a result that nearly prompted the sacking of Pumas coach David Patiño. Patiño did get fired later that same season, after another loss to América that is the darkest day in Pumas’ history. After drawing 1-1 in the first leg of their Liguilla semifinal at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Pumas were blown away 6-1 at the Azteca in a capitulation of historic proportions.
Even with Patiño gone and considerable squad turnover in subsequent seasons, the scars of that 6-1 thrashing have not completely healed for Pumas. A win against América on Friday would be cathartic, but also crucial to their Liguilla hopes this season. After a thrilling 3-2 win at Toluca in round 6, Pumas were at the top of the table and the only undefeated team in the league. They have come crashing down to earth since then, however, with back-to-back losses to Morelia and Tigres leaving them in 5th place. If they lose to América, they could end the weekend outside the Liguilla. After failing to qualify for the Liguilla last campaign after a promising start, Míchel’s job security depends on Liguilla qualification this season. Unless he wants to follow in Patiño’s footsteps, he needs to engineer a win over América.
2) Will Roger Martinez Play?
Even though he hasn’t played a single minute in the Clausura 2020, Martínez’s continued absence has been one of the main subplots of América’s season so far. After asking for a January transfer and subsequently refusing a succulent offer from Inter Miami, rumors indicate that América’s owners have erased Martínez from the playing squad. Yet, Martínez has continued to train with his teammates, who asked head coach Miguel Herrera this week for Martínez to be pardoned.
Thanks to those pleas, coupled with an injury crisis that has depleted América’s attacking options, Martínez is likely to be available from the bench on Friday night. The Colombian international hasn’t always lived up to his $10 million price tag since signing from Villarreal in July 2018, but his quality is unquestionable. Although he is not fully match sharp, Martínez will be motivated to remind everyone of his talent, and could make the difference if the game is finely poised heading into the final minutes.
3) Should Míchel Start Two Up Top?
Signed late in January from Colombian side Deportivo Cali, center-forward Juan Dinenno has been a huge hit in Mexico so far. The lanky Argentinean marksman has 4 goals in just 231 minutes in all competitions, including 3 goals in Liga MX. Despite his rapid adaptation to Mexican football, Dinenno is yet to start a league match for Pumas, with Míchel preferring Carlos González as the lone forward in his 4-2-3-1 formation.
This decision worked a treat in Pumas’ first six league matches, with the university club scoring a league-leading 15 goals, including two four-goal outbursts against Juárez and San Luis. Yet, Pumas have scored only once in their last two matches, and Míchel should seriously consider starting Dinenno alongside González in order to revive the club’s flagging attack. Dinenno could come in for attacking midfielder Favio Álvarez, whose form has tailed off in recent weeks after a splendid start to the season. Dinenno and González are both versatile forwards, capable of either dropping deep to link up with their fellow attackers or function higher up the field as a target man. This flexibility means that the two forwards can interchange positions throughout the course of the match if needed, causing extra problems for América’s back-line.
Coming off the back of two straight defeats, the three points in this match are far more important for Pumas than they are for América. With América missing defensive lynchpin Bruno Valdéz due to suspension, playing two center-forwards could expose the weakness in the heart of the visiting backline. Míchel must be brave and start Dinenno and González together.
4) Will Pumas Suffer Under Friday Night Lights?
Unlike most leagues, each team in Liga MX has a defined time slot for the majority of their home matches. In the case of Pumas, they regularly play Sundays at noon. This time slot is extremely advantageous for Pumas, who are used to the suffocating combination Mexico City’s high altitude, heavy smog and blistering midday sun. Although América also train in Mexico City during the day, their home games are always at night, giving Pumas an important physical edge.
However, the 152nd Clásico Capitalino will be played this Friday night due to security preparations for International Women’s Day marches in Mexico City this Sunday. While the reasoning for the scheduling change is more than valid, Míchel and sporting director Jesús “Chucho” Ramírez have both lamented the switch in interviews this week. They will hope to improve upon the most recent meeting between these two sides under the Estadio Olímpico Universitario lights, when América held out for a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Apertura 2018 semifinal.
5) Will Herrera Complain About the Referees?
One of the best coaches in Mexican history, Miguel Herrera’s talent has often been overshadowed by his fiery personality. “El Piojo” was ousted from the Mexico National Team job in the Summer of 2015 for initiating a physical altercation in the Philadelphia airport with TV Azteca commentator Christian Martinoli following El Tri’s 3-1 win in the Gold Cup final against Jamaica. Fortunately, Herrera has not picked a fight with Martinoli or anyone else since beginning his second spell in charge of América in the summer of 2017. Nevertheless, there have been multiple outbursts at post-game press conferences, with criticisms of VAR and Mexican refereeing the most popular topic.
The most recent of these incidents came after a surprise 3-0 loss to Necaxa this past Saturday at the Estadio Azteca. Herrera responded to a reporter’s critique of the refereeing in the match and the use of VAR in Mexico, particularly for not awarding América a penalty in the 5th minute or whistling a foul on Necaxa in the build-up to the sending off of midfielder Santiago Cáseres, with a simple “he said everything I wanted to say.” Even though América sit in 2nd place heading into this match, their unconvincing form and status as one of Mexico’s two biggest clubs means that the pressure is always on Herrera. If América lose this Friday, do not be surprised if there is another referee-inspired press conference outburst from “El Piojo”.
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