Off we go with the Round of 16 in the Concacaf Champions Cup!
The stage of the competition where all teams seem to have a legitimate shot at winning the title begins this week, with eight MLS teams, five Liga MX clubs, two Costa Rican sides, and the winners of the 2023 Caribbean Cup.
Without further ado, let us take you through what will go down each day in the continental tournament. But before we get into that, let us have a look at the tournament bracket.
Tuesday, March 5
Things will get going on Tuesday with three matches being held across North and Central America. The first match will be Philadelphia Union vs Pachuca, where the Union will continue their run in the competition and Pachuca will start their way in the 2024 edition after being handed a bye in the previous round.
Next up, Orlando City vs Tigres UANL will see two familiar foes locking horns once more. These teams faced each other in the 2023 edition and saw their games ending in draws, but since Tigres scored an away goal, they managed to reach the next stage. Orlando's coach Oscar Pareja will face Tigres for the fifth time ever, hoping to win his first clash against the Apertura 2023 runners-up in Liga MX.
The last match of the day will be Herediano vs Robinhood. The team from Costa Rica is seen as the favorite due to the consistency shown in their league, but Robinhood are a team that deserve respect, as they have reached five title matches previously. Is there a shock coming in this tie?
Wednesday, March 6
The first match of the day will be New England vs Alajuelense. The Revs managed to beat a team from Panama in Round One, and Caleb Porter's team seem confident about their chances here. Alajuelense will make their debut in the 2024 edition, where they aim to replicate their previous runs to the title in 1986 and 2004. It will not be an easy task for neither team, which means we could have a good tie in our hands.
Hours later, the all-MLS clash between Houston Dynamo and Columbus Crew will give fans interesting moments to witness. The Dynamo reached this stage after defeating St. Louis City in Round One, while the Crew were handed a bye after winning the MLS Cup back in December. This will not be an easy tie to predict, as both have won eight games against each other and have also experienced eleven draws.
Last, but by no means least, there will be an all-Liga MX tie featuring the most popular teams in Mexico: Chivas vs América. The team from Guadalajara started the season on high notes, but their momentum seems to have come and gone after only one win in their last four games. Meanwhile, the Apertura 2023 Champions have won two in a row, including a win over the league-leading Cruz Azul and a 5-1 victory against Atlas, which should come as a major boost for this tie. América have won four out of their last five, including a 4-0 victory in their match last season. Will that game be a sign of things to come?
Thursday, March 7
The first match of the day will feature Cincinnati vs Monterrey, where the five-time Concacaf Champions League winners will aim to come up with a suitable performance against a capable MLS side. The first game between these teams promises to be electric, with a major plot point being Brandon Vázquez's return to TQL Stadium after four years and following his transfer to Monterrey earlier this year.
To put an end to this week's fixtures, Nashville vs Inter Miami will face each other at GEODIS Park. Their most recent meeting ended in a goalless draw, but this will certainly be taken as a rematch for their Leagues Cup meeting last year, where Inter Miami claimed their only title to this day. Nashville have beaten Inter Miami in three of their five meetings as hosts, which may give everyone a hint on how things could unfold.
Here is the full list of games in the Concacaf Champions Cup this week. Click on each fixture for full broadcast and streaming options in your country.
