In their upcoming game this Saturday, Club America face Toluca with the added confidence of a trophy in hand, having come from behind to claim the CONCACAF Champions League title against the Montreal Impact.
What's tricky for the Aguilas players is that all season long, there's been a problem with basic consistency in the club. It seems at times like the squad can only focus when a title is on the line, or their elimination from a competition is imminent.
But if Club America can only perform at a top level when their adrenaline is pumping, it sets up nicely for a team like Toluca to capitalize on their opponent's lack of focus. The exhaustion that sets in after the emotions that accompany a tournament win can also take a toll on the CCL winners.
A quick look at the standings, though, reveals that it's dangerous for Club America to be complacent, even for a single match. Their participation in the liguilla and the chance to defend their Liga MX title could be at stake.
Toluca and Club America are battling for the final playoff spot and are tied in the standings separated only by goal differential. The parity this season in Liga MX is so comprehensive that even a draw, which is normally an acceptable result, could still leave Club America in danger.
The game plan for coach Gustavo Matosas would seem simple, then, to just ensure a victory by repeating what worked so well against the Impact.
Yet there's a reason why Club America fans hold their breath whenever midfield dynamo Rubens Sambueza takes the field. He's been an oddly forceful, yet fragile player all season long. Every game he plays he produces some unique magic, but despite his creative contributions, the matches also seem to inevitably inflict an injury toll of some kind.
Against the Impact, Sambueza's right leg injury didn't seem to hold him back. Though he didn't score, his ball movement and control helped set up his teammates, creating chances through his possession. It's a tribute to how important Sambueza is to Club America that as soon as the result against the Impact was safely secured, Matosas took the midfielder off, unwilling to risk him any longer.
With only a few days between the championship match in Canada and the game against Toluca, it's possible that Sambueza, or another veteran, Oribe Peralta, may not start or even play against Toluca. Matosas has had to manage their minutes carefully in the multiple tournaments the club has been involved in this Clausura season.
This may actually set up a chance for redemption for one player in particular. Darwin Quintero is running out of time to contribute in an important way to the club. He's in danger of being considered a complete bust after being projected as a top transfer and possibly the best player on the squad. There's still time for him to make a difference and to be a key element for the team, much in the way that striker Dario Benedetto was in the CCL final. Quintero may not score a hat trick against Toluca, but if he has a goal or an assist that helps bring about the victory and put Club America securely in the postseason, he can win over doubtful Aguilas fans.