With a taking part in and training profession that has spanned a number of a long time and continents, Óscar Garciá Junyent supplies perception into the expansion of the Leagues Cup, and the more and more intertwined fates between Liga MX and MLS.
Because the fifth version of Leagues Cup is ready to kick off, Main League Soccer and Liga MX are as soon as once more headed on a collision course, with a trophy, three coveted CONCACAF Champions Cup spots, and maybe most significantly, bragging rights all up for grabs.
Now within the third 12 months of its expanded format, the match has not been with out controversy. Followers stay divided over the Leagues Cup, with some embracing the cross-border competitors, whereas others criticizing its construction and objective.
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In response, organizers have made a number of adjustments to reinforce the match’s enchantment, most notably decreasing the variety of taking part groups from 47 to 36. All 18 Liga MX groups will take part as soon as once more, however as a substitute of all the MLS slate of golf equipment, the 18 sides that reached the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs certified for the 2025 Leagues Cup. The one exception is growth facet San Diego FC, who replaces the Vancouver Whitecaps, as they’re already in two different cup competitions this season.
MLS golf equipment have received the final two titles, with Inter Miami CF lifting the trophy in 2023 and the Columbus Crew following go well with in 2024. These back-to-back triumphs have fueled perception amongst followers that the talent hole between the leagues is narrowing, regardless of important variations in participant salaries. It raises questions: When will essentially the most well-known and storied Mexican groups like Membership América or Chivas declare this trophy? Why is MLS now matching up toe-to-toe with golf equipment which have deeper pockets and tens of 1000’s of followers, typically outselling the house staff on this match?
To take a deeper dive into Leagues Cup and one in every of its most historic contributors, I sat down for an interview in Spanish with former Chivas de Guadalajara head coach Óscar García Junyent.
Oscar Garcia Junyent throughout his Chivas managerial tenure. (Photograph by Simon Barber/Getty Pictures)
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García was introduced into the Chivas fold forward of the 2025 season, although his time on the helm was brief as he and the membership parted methods in March after 11 matches. The Barcelona native noticed stints at FC Barcelona, Valencia, Espanyol, and Lleda as a participant, and has had a well-traveled managerial profession that has included stops at Brighton and Hove Albion, Pink Bull Salzburg, Saint-Etienne, and Celta Vigo.
Although García’s time with Chivas ended earlier than a Leagues Cup marketing campaign, he offered beneficial perception into what makes the membership a singular and storied presence in worldwide competitors.
Interview initially in Spanish, translated to English.
City Pitch: What are your ideas about Leagues Cup, and did Chivas put strain on you as the top coach to win this match?
Óscar García Junyent: I assumed it was a really attention-grabbing competitors as a result of we’re additionally going to CONCACAF, however getting the prospect to play in opposition to groups from one other nation is a giant motivation. For the gamers, it adjustments the mindset a bit — it’s not nearly dealing with Mexican groups. And naturally, while you’re at Chivas, there’s at all times the strain of eager to win each match or feeling like you need to win each match.
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As Leagues Cup continues to bridge the hole between MLS and Liga MX, cross-league transfers have began to rise. Gamers like Cade Cowell, Mateusz Bogusz, Brandon Vázquez, and Chicho Arango have all gone backwards and forwards between the 2 leagues. With extra alternatives to evaluate expertise firsthand, it’s not a stretch to say this pattern will proceed.
Chivas, in fact, operates beneath a singular switch coverage — signing solely Mexican gamers. With all this in thoughts, I wished to get perception into the membership’s technique when wanting north of the border for expertise.
Cade Cowell is likely one of the extra notable MLS-to-Liga-MX transfers in recent times. (Simon Barber/Getty Pictures)
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Would you search for a switch in MLS?
Nicely, we at all times stored an eye fixed on MLS. Once you’re at Chivas, you need to focus solely on Mexican gamers, but when there was a extremely attention-grabbing Mexican participant in MLS, then sure, you’d look there to search out expertise. On a technical stage, CONCACAF has gamers who’re very expert, and a few might even play in Europe — in reality, some already are.
The place do you suppose MLS at present stands in comparison with Liga MX, and do you suppose CONCACAF groups took the Membership World Cup severely?
I don’t suppose MLS is that far behind Liga MX. It’s true that the Mexican league has been capable of signal some excellent European gamers. Individuals who observe Liga MX realize it’s a league with a excessive stage of high quality. However I consider MLS is taking steps to get nearer and nearer to the most effective leagues on the planet. I feel within the Membership World Cup, the [CONCACAF] groups took it severely, Monterrey [and Miami] went fairly far within the match, it’s simply the extent of high quality is a unique one.
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How quickly will we see you again on the sidelines? Is there an opportunity you’ll be teaching within the Leagues Cup quickly?
Nicely, I’m ready for a very good alternative. I’m not going to teach simply to teach. I used to be provided some attention-grabbing tasks, however I ended up believing it wasn’t the proper match.
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Whereas García could not have had the prospect to handle in Leagues Cup simply but, his perspective underscores the match’s rising strategic worth inside Liga MX — significantly with regards to transfers and evaluating expertise. Whether or not it’s scouting gamers, chasing silverware, or highlighting the area’s progress on a world stage, it’s clear that Leagues Cup is changing into greater than only a summer time showcase; it’s a official proving floor for North America’s greatest.
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