Playing for 90
Fansided

Liga MX: America faces rocky road to 14th league title

By Thomas Buckley

America players pose before their match against Tijuana on Jan. 24. The game ended in a scoreless draw (Photo by Gonzalo Gonzalez/Jam Media/Getty Images)
America players pose before their match against Tijuana on Jan. 24. The game ended in a scoreless draw (Photo by Gonzalo Gonzalez/Jam Media/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
America Liga MX
Renato Ibarra is carted off the field after being injured during the Apertura 2019 semifinals on Dec. 8. He returned later in the playoffs but suffered a torn thigh muscle in January and will miss the entire Clausura 2020. (Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images) /

Two players lost for season, three starters on injury row

Renato Ibarra’s rampaging runs down the right flank have been a common sight the past three years. America fans won’t see the familiar #30 tormenting defenders for quite some time, however, since the winger tore a thigh muscle in preseason.

Also out for the season is striker Nico Castillo who underwent surgery this week to repair a torn quadriceps. Unlike Ibarra, Castillo is considered a bust after America spent $8 million dollars for him in January 2019.

The 26-year-old Chilean scored 26 goals in 45 games with the Pumas before leaving for Europe in 2018. With America, Castillo scored only 9 goals in 23 matches while missing 63% of América’s games due to injury. The Aguilas tried to move him this summer but found no takers.

The loss of Castillo could restore Roger Martínez to the club’s good graces. The Colombian forward had been exiled because of his constant trade demands last season. New MLS team Inter Miami was interested, but Martínez prefers a move to Europe.

“Piojo” Herrera is fed up with the player’s sullenness, last week declaring to the media that he would not talk about Roger any more. Now, the striker could get the chance to impress European clubs by performing well in the Clausura.

Elsewhere, defender Bruno Valdez missed the season-opener with an unspecified “illness” but he is also nursing a bum knee. He returned to play the central defender position in the Aguilas’ 0-0 draw at Tijuana.

Shifty winger Sebastián Córdova was also on injury row, though his discomfort has been attributed to overwork. The 22-year-old played a key role in America’s run to the Finals last season, but he missed the season-opener. He suited up for last week’s contest in Tijuana but remained on the bench.

Finally, winger Andrés Ibarguen is expected back soon. The 27-year-old Colombian was forced out of the first leg of the Finals on Dec. 26 with a groin muscle strain and finally returned to training this week.

Home/Liga MX