Head coach Ricardo Ferretti (pictured) has extensively scouted Tigres' next Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League opponent, Real Salt Lake. (Photo: Mexsport)
SAN NICOLAS DE LOS GARZA, Mexico – If it hopes to advance to the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League semifinals for the first time, Tigres will have to overcome a team that has reached the final once before in Real Salt Lake.
The sides will square off in their quarterfinal series opener on Wednesday at the Estadio Universitario and Ricardo Ferretti, the host’s head coach, is fully aware of the challenge presented by the Major League Soccer visitor.
“We are going to find a very capable team, with a footballing idea very similar to ours, with a very capable manager, and with very good foreign and domestic players,” said Ferretti, who masterminded UANL’s run to the 2015 Copa Libertadores final. “We cannot get overconfident about anyone, so that is how we are going to face this match.”
At the same stage in 2012/13 edition, Tigres fell to another MLS representative, Seattle Sounders FC, 3-2 on aggregate. Ferretti doesn’t want a repeat of that outcome, taking the time for a comprehensive study on RSL.
“Today we watched four videos of their preseason matches,” the 62-year-old noted. “I am not going to think that they are coming in without anything. They are going to come in well and are going to be very difficult, even if their season has not started.”
Tigres, the current Mexican champion, currently sits fifth in the 2016 Liga MX Clausura with a 2W-0D-1L record at home.
