América and coach Santiago Solari are on final notice. Beat the Pumas this weekend or Solari is gone.
The “Clásico Capitalino” is always a high-intensity affair, but knowing that a win will wreak havoc in the Aguilas camp, you can bet Pumas fans will be in fine form at the CU on Saturday night.
América ownership had given Solari and the Aguilas an ultimatum heading into their Matchday 5 contest against Santos Laguna: Get 7 points in the upcoming three matches or Solari would be fired.
That did not happen – a 3-2 win at Santos was followed by a midweek 2-1 loss at Mazatlán FC and a 3-1 home loss to Pachuca on Sunday – but Solari & Co. were given a reprieve … if you can call a do-or-die date in the Estadio Olímpico Universitario cauldron a reprieve.
Aguilas in utter disorder
Less than two months ago, América seemed poised to add another piece of hardware to its trophy case.
The top-seeded Aguilas had drawn the 11th-seeded Pumas at the CU and were headed home for the return match of the quarterfinals as heavy favorites. In a shocking turn of events, the Pumas ran circles around the Aguilas, defeating them 3-1 to send them crashing out of the Liga MX playoffs at the quarterfinals stage for the third season running.
After promising to address the collapse and provide coach Solari with the personnel he desired, Aguilas GM Santiago Baños basically disappeared from view as one after another negotiation fell apart. The season started and Solari’s preferred roster had still not been assembled.
América got off to a poor start – a draw at Puebla, a home loss to Atlas and a home loss to last-place Atlético de San Luis. Fans called for Baños’ firing and Solari was not spared by the boo-birds either.
Owner Emilio Azcárraga defended Baños vehemently and chastised the players in a training ground “pep talk.” His “encouragement” did not have the desired result and the Aguilas are now in 16th place with a 1-1-4 record.
No team has conceded more goals (13) and the team is 0-0-3 at Estadio Azteca. América-haters could not be more giddy, and that is especially true among Pumas fans who would love nothing more than to roil the waters at La Coapa even further.
Solari has faced UNAM at the CU twice since taking over as Aguilas coach in January 2021, winning 1-0 and then escaping with the afore-mentioned scoreless tie in the November playoff match. This time around, a draw will not be sufficient.