MIAMI, Florida –
For Olimpia, Motagua and Alajuelense, these are not uncharted waters. All three clubs have played in the SCL Final, with Olimpia and Alajuelense winning it in 2017 and 2020, respectively.
However, for Real Espana, this is unfamiliar territory, considering that in their previous tournament appearance in 2018 the club was eliminated in the Round of 16 stage. Needless to say, with Real Espana in their first SCL semifinal, spirits are very high within the squad ahead of Tuesday’s semifinal first leg with Alajuelense.
“We are really happy with how well we are doing in the Concacaf League. Our goal from the start was to get to the Final. We know it is going to be very difficult, so that’s why we are going step by step,” said Real Espana MF Devron Garcia in an exclusive interview with Concacaf.com.
“All of the teams that we have faced have been very tough and thankfully we’ve been able to get the best of them. Now we face another really tough opponent in Alajuelense, who we know has a lot of experience in Concacaf in reaching semifinals and finals. We are primarily focused on them and trying to get this team into the Final,” added Garcia.
After eliminating a pair of Costa Rican sides in the previous two rounds, Cartagines and Herediano, Garcia is fully aware of the challenges posed by Alajuelense. A quick glance at the roster and names like Costa Rica World Cup stars Bryan Ruiz and Celso Borges pop out, plus the SCL’s all-time top scorer in Johan Venegas and 2020 SCL Golden Ball winner Alexander Lopez.
But the formula used by Real Espana thus far in this tournament has been very effective, and Garcia believes that as long as they play their game, Real Espana can have success against the Ticos.
“We know that Alajuelense is a legendary and historic club here in Central America, but we’re only focused on what we have to do. We have a lot of faith in ourselves. The coaching staff does a good job in managing the games, so we’re just focused on Alajuelense knowing that they are going to be a very difficult game. We know that with the support of our fans who fill up the Estadio Morazan and then all of us on the field, I think we can grab an advantage and then take that to Costa Rica,” said Garcia.
For Garcia, the 2022 SCL represents his first foray in Concacaf action at the club level. As a member of Real Espana since 2017, he says it is an honor to be able to represent the club in such a prestigious competition.
“Everyone wants to play international tournaments. Here in Concacaf in Central America, this is the most important tournament because there are all of the top teams from Central America. And thankfully Real Espana is back to where it belongs, which is fighting for titles in Concacaf,” said Garcia.
By reaching the semifinal stage, Real Espana also secured their first berth in the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League for the first time since the 2014-15 edition.
“It was an achievement that we were quite clear on and it was achieved. But now the most important thing is the semifinal and we are also very clear about what we want to do, which is reach the Final. With our confidence at 100, we know that we have a great team and that we can get to the final and win it,” said Garcia.
On a personal level, Garcia has been a stalwart for the team in the tournament, playing every minute of Real Espana’s six matches, which has been very fulfilling for the 26-year-old.
“It makes me very happy. This is what I have been working for, why I am a part of this team. The team played it in 2018 but I couldn’t play, now thankfully I am playing for the team and defending the club’s shirt in an international tournament with my teammates, the coaching staff and everyone associated with the club,” said Garcia.
There is still a lot of football to be played, but you can’t blame Garcia and his Real Espana teammates for allowing themselves to imagine what it would be like to deliver the first Concacaf title to the club’s trophy cabinet.
“It is a dream that we have, a goal that we have had ever since we started preseason with the team. We knew that there were two tough competitions, the domestic league here and Concacaf League. We have had to face very tough teams from Costa Rica, last year’s champion in Costa Rican football, so they were tough opponents and thankfully we were able to beat them well. Our mindset is very upbeat right now about winning and getting to the Final,” concluded Garcia.