Pachuca's Rodolfo Pizarro (pictured) is looking forward to competing in both the 2014 Mexican Apertura and the 2014/15 CONCACAF Champions League. (Photo: Mexsport)
PACHUCA, Mexico – Defender Rodolfo Pizarro believes that Pachuca has assembled a roster capable of competing successfully this season in the CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) and Liga MX.
The 19-year-old, who already has a cap for Mexico, is of the notion that competition for places within the squad will serve the Tuzos well in both competitions.
“We have very good and very capable players,” Pizarro told the club website. “All of my teammates are very good and are eager to play. There is nothing else left but to compete in order to be in the starting eleven. We have to support if we are to play or not.”
In Liga MX, Pachuca has split its opening two Apertura matches, posting a 1-0 away win over current CCL champion Cruz Azul in Round 1 and then falling to at home to Monterrey by the same score.
The four-time CONCACAF club champion will look to bounce back on Friday at Queretaro, before making its 2014/15 CCL debut on August 6, when it welcomes Honduras’ Real España to the Estadio Hidalgo.
Pizarro acknowledged the importance of emerging first with a victory over Gallos Blancos, who also have a win and a loss after two outings.
“Queretaro is a very difficult team that has spent a lot of time playing together,” he said. “It is going to be a hard match where we have to be focused during the 90 minutes and develop what the coach asks us to do to win. We are confident that we are going to get a good result. The team is unified to get it.”
Pachuca is making its second-ever CCL appearance, outlasting Cruz Azul on the away-goals rule to win the 2009/10 title.
