Luis Fernando Tena (pictured) has guided Cruz Azul to a place in 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League final against Toluca. (Photo: Mexsport)
MEXICO CITY, Mexico -- The last time that Cruz Azul won the CONCACAF club title was in 1997. Luis Fernando Tena was head coach of that squad.
Flash ahead 17 years and La Maquina has earned another opportunity to achieve regional glory. Perhaps not so coincidentally, Tena once again finds himself at the helm, as well as on the cusp of history.
A 2-0 win over Club Tijuana on Wednesday gave the Mexico City-based side a 2-1 aggregate triumph in their CONCACAF Champions League semifinal series.
Afterwards, Tena praised his team’s personality and pointed to that as the reason Cruz Azul has an opportunity to the lift the CONCACAF trophy for what would be a record-breaking sixth time.
“The character of our team carried us to the final,” said Tena. “Based on manhood, we were able to make the final, although we did not play that well.”
Next up, is a two-legged meeting with Toluca to determine a new champion as Monterrey’s three-year reign will officially come to an end following the return match on April 23.
Tena and the Cementeros, though, have some items to tackle before hosting the final’s opener on Tuesday.
They will look to consolidate their position atop the Liga MX standings on Saturday against visiting Pachuca. Additionally, the playing statuses of Luis Perea and Joao Rojas (both of whom left the Tijuana game with injuries), and Mariano Pavone (who was omitted due to an injury), will need to be determined.
“There are many injured, but I think that there is a team to do things well in the final,” expressed Tena. “We leave happy, but we know that we have not won anything.
“It will be a hard final.”
Even though Cruz Azul has never won the CCL despite two previous appearances in the final (2008-09, 2009-10), it shares the record most confederation championships with Club America.
