GUADALAJARA, Mexico – It’s another final for Herculez Gomez this week as his Tigres side takes on Club América for the Liga MX Apertura title (first leg on Thursday, 9:30 pm ET, Univision Deportes).
The Las Vegas-raised striker has said it is the 10th final of his professional career (see tweet below) and is particularly excited to be closing out this one in the Estadio Azteca against the Mexican giants.
“It’ll be something special, first against second [in the regular season]. It’s something others would like to have in their league,” stated Gomez in Spanish in a press conference on Monday. “For any soccer player, it is a dream to have the opportunity to play a final in the Estadio Azteca.”
Gomez has started in eight matches during Tigres’ 14-game unbeaten run that the club used to reach the two-legged final and has put a difficult spell at Club Tijuana behind him to become a regular for Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti’s side, following his loan move to the Monterrey club last summer.
The 32-year-old is going for his second Liga MX title and will go up against a Club America team riddled with off-field issues, with coach Antonio Mohamed’s job unstable and Mexico international Paul Aguilar separated from the squad for indiscipline. Not that Gomez thinks it will affect the final.
“América is América. You don’t have say anything, we know who they are,” stated Gomez. “If you aren’t motivated to play against América in a final, I don’t know what you are doing in this sport.”
The 2010 USMNT World Cup veteran believes the series will be a hard-fought one, with no clear favorite. Still, he has full confidence in he and Tigres' ability to finish off their current good run of form on a high note.
“The only advantage one has is believing in yourself,” he said. “We have to go out with all the will in the world, play with intelligence, organization and keep doing what we’ve been doing, managing games.”
