Yesterday, Orlando City SC were drawn against tough Liga MX opponents Tigres UANL in the two-leg Round of 16 stage of the 2023 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League.
With City participating in the competition for the very first time, Oscar Pareja‘s side are joining North America’s elite by virtue of our triumphant 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title.
👋🏼 ¡Hola, @TheChampions, somos nosotros de nuevo y ya tenemos rival para los Octavos de Final!
¡See you 🔜, @OrlandoCitySC! 😎 pic.twitter.com/DiJHtsb0YD
— Club Tigres Oficial 🐯 (@TigresOficial) November 8, 2022
👀 The matchups for the SCCL 2023 Round of 16 are defined!
🏆 ¡Los enfrentamientos para los Octavos de Final de #SCCL23 están definidos!
Article ➡ https://t.co/JnaO3dpxRE 📰
Artículo ➡ https://t.co/NI9RTA0ikU 📰 pic.twitter.com/W2oIDFQ6hi
— Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (@TheChampions) November 8, 2022
With both legs of the Round of 16 set to be contested in March 2023, specific details regarding gameday dates and kick-off times are yet to be disclosed.
Nevertheless, what we do know is that the quarter-finals and first-leg semi-finals will take place in April 2023, with the second-leg semi finals and first leg final in May 2023.
The all decisive second-leg final takes place on Sunday, June 4, 2023.
To familiarise yourself with Round of 16 opponents Tigres UANL, Orlando City UK listed five things you need to know about our Mexican opposition.
1. Tigres UANL are based in Monterrey, Nuevo León
Founded in 1960, Tigres UANL hail from Monterrey in the northeast Mexican state of Nuevo León.
The third biggest city in Mexico, Tigres UANL’s full club name is Club de Fútbol Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León.
Despite this name, Tigres UANL have never been a university football team and were first named Jabatos de Nuevo León.
Initially struggling financially, the team was transferred to the board of the University of Nuevo León, but remained a separate entity.
2. They play home games at Estadio Universitario
Based on the campus of Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Estadio Universitario has been Tigres UANL’s home since 1967.
Holding a capacity of approximately 42,000 supporters, the stadium is based in the San Nicolás de los Garza suburb of Monterrey.
3. They’re 7 time champions of Liga MX
Tigres UANL are the seventh most successful side in Liga MX history.
Seven-time champions of Liga MX, Los Tigres (The Tigers) have also finished runners-up on five separate occasions.
Tigres UANL’s last championship win came in Clausura 2019 where they defeated Club León 1-0 over two legs.
In Mexico, they adopt a split season format.
Apertura is the opening phase of Liga MX, from July to December, whereas Clausura takes place from January to May.
Elsewhere, Tigres UANL have won the Copa MX three times too.
4. Miguel Herrera is Tigres UANL head coach
54-year-old Mexican Miguel Herrera is currently Tigres UANL head coach, a position he’s held since May 2021.
A highly experienced head coach, Herrera has managed six other Mexican teams including Tigres UANL’s fierce city rivals C.F. Monterrey between 2004 and 2007.
Miguel Herrera was also Mexican national team head coach between 2013 and 2015, coaching Mexico at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
As a head coach, Herrera has achieved two Clausura titles (2013, 2019), one Apertura title (2018), and one Campeón de Campeones title (2019).
5. Their star man is Frenchman, André-Pierre Gignac
Roster-wise, Tigres UANL’s star man is 36-year-old former French international striker, André-Pierre Gignac.
Since joining from Marseille back in June 2015, Gignac has become the darling of Estadio Universitario.
A formidable goalscorer in Liga MX, André-Pierre Gignac became Tigres UANL’s all-time leading scorer in all competitions back in August 2019.
Surpassing the club’s previous record holder, Tomás Boy, Gignac currently has 154 goals in 274 domestic appearances for Tigres UANL.
Elsewhere, Orlando City SC supporters may be familiar with captain and goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán, Mexican international defender Diego Reyes, and Brazilian midfielder Rafael Carioca.
…
Support Orlando City UK
Passionate about what we do, Orlando City UK content will always be free. The most important thing for us is sharing our love of Orlando City SC with you all and donations are by no means expected. However, if you enjoy our content, a token towards the regular maintenance of Orlando City UK is hugely appreciated!
