New York City Football Club to face off against Mexican League in Leagues Cup competition
The Leagues Cup 2025, a unique competition between MLS and Liga MX teams, is set to kick off with an exciting match between NYCFC and Club Puebla tomorrow night at the Sports Illustrated Stadium.
This tournament, which emphasises interleague competition, follows a distinct points system, draw rules, and progression mechanism. Matches are exclusively MLS vs. Liga MX, and there are no draws - if tied after 90 minutes, each team gets 1 point. A penalty shootout determines the winner, who earns an additional bonus point.
NYCFC will be without their captain, Thiago Martins, who is out for four to six weeks due to knee surgery. Tayvon Gray will slot in at right center-back in his absence, with Mitja Ilenič playing as right-back. However, there may not be enough chemistry between Gray and Ilenič, posing a challenge for the team.
Pascal Jansen, head coach of NYCFC, finds Club Puebla's playing style, intensity, aggression, and attacking mindset intriguing. He believes that new signing Nicolás Fernández Mercau can add more creativity to their play, as he was instrumental in setting up the second and third goals in their last game.
Alonso Martínez, who scored a hat-trick in NYCFC's last game against Dallas, combined with Fernández Mercau for an "amazing" goal. Martínez's third and fourth goals were particularly significant.
NYCFC qualified for the Leagues Cup by making the playoffs last season, and they will face all three Liga MX sides in the competition. After Club Puebla, they will take on James Rodriguez's Club León and Toluca in the remaining matches of Phase One.
Alonso Martínez and Fernández Mercau's partnership could prove crucial in these matches, as they aim to secure a place in the Quarterfinals. The top four MLS and Liga MX teams will advance to the Quarterfinals, with pairings based on inverse ranking.
The Leagues Cup consists of two phases, with the first phase being played over the next week. The top three teams from the tournament will qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2026, with the Champion receiving a direct Round of 16 spot.
Pascal Jansen, who is managing NYCFC in North America for the first time, is optimistic about their chances in the Leagues Cup. Despite the challenges posed by the Mexican opponents, he is eager to see how his team will hold up in this interleague competition.
During the upcoming match against Club Puebla in the Leagues Cup 2025, the absence of captain Thiago Martins might create a chemistry issue between Tayvon Gray and Mitja Ilenič on the NYCFC defense. Pascal Jansen, the head coach of NYCFC, sees potential in the partnership of Alonso Martínez and new signing Nicolás Fernández Mercau for creating more creative plays, as they have already shown promise in setting up goals. With this duo and the other players, NYCFC aims to secure a spot among the top four teams from both MLS and Liga MX to advance to the Quarterfinals of the Leagues Cup, potentially qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2026.
