LOS ANGELES, California – Former Concacaf champion Rodolfo Cota and teammate Joel Campbell are relishing Club Leon’s first ever Concacaf crown after defeating Los Angeles FC 3-1 on aggregate in the 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Final.
Previously a SCCL winner with Pachuca in 2009-10 and Chivas in 2018, the 35-year-old Cota was an anchor in net for Club Leon, appearing in all eight matches for La Fiera.
Cota missed out on competing in the FIFA Club World Cup in those two previous instances, so he hopes to have an opportunity to do so with Club Leon.
“We knew what we were playing for and we knew that it would mean history for the institution and that’s how we approached it,” said Cota about Club Leon’s first Concacaf crown in an exclusive interview with Concacaf.com following Sunday’s second leg Final.
“I’m very happy about winning another Concacaf title and having the chance to be a champion again in this tournament. I was never able to go to the Club World Cup, so I hope that this time it works out for me to be able to go and play in that tournament,” added Cota.
The 30-year-old Campbell was a member of the 2021 Monterrey side that won that year’s SCCL, but did not appear in any matches due to injury.
This time around in the SCCL for Club Leon, Campbell had a sizable impact, playing in all eight matches for La Fiera in the tournament and making three starts.
“I’m happy very grateful and very glad for this team and now it’s time to enjoy it,” said Campbell in an exclusive interview with Concacaf.com.
“We had a great team and it is fully deserving, we had a great tournament and we were justly rewarded,” concluded Campbell.
