Tigres head coach Ricardo Ferretti (pictured) answers questions from the media during a press conference on April 28, 2016. (Photo: Mexsport)
ZUAZUA, Mexico – Tigres head coach Ricardo Ferretti knows that the last obstacle will be the hardest to surmount as his team prepares to host Club America in the first leg of the 2015-16 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday.
During the SCCL knockout rounds, U.A.N.L. has proven to be a strong team at home, recording 2-0 victories against Real Salt Lake and Queretaro in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.
Ferretti believes that keeping a clean sheet at the Estadio Universitario will be critical to Tigres’ title hopes.
“They (Club America) deserve all of our respect and care,” he said. “We ought to be attentive, with the precautions of an away goal being greater still."
This is Tigres’ first SCCL final, while America is the seeking back-to-back crowns and a record-breaking seventh CONCACAF club championship. Despite the differing histories, Ferretti saw little difference between the two teams.
“Now we have the opportunity," he remarked. "We are in the final and, naturally, we all want to win. It is the same for us as it is for America. I think that there is nothing distinct and just like [them] we want to win. That is how the teams are going to be. They have achieved it before, including being the reigning champions of this tournament and hopefully there is a new one."
After Saturday’s 5-2 win over Dorados snapped a five-match winless run in the Liga MX Clausura, Ferretti hopes that confidence within the side has been restored.
“I have a team with a good mentality and they are motivated because it is a final,” the 62-year-old concluded. “All of them should be very happy to play it and win it. We come in feeling good and we improved Saturday. If we can improve Wednesday, we have a good chance."
