We are down to the last eight teams in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, and if the games in the Round of 16 left us with quite a few surprises, the games in this round will certainly be even more interesting for fans to watch.
As usual, the rivalry between MLS and Liga MX teams will be one of the main topics in this competition, with three teams from each league still involved in the tournament. In fact, the MLS has a bit of an edge over the Mexican top-flight, as the league from the U.S. has already secured the presence of one of their teams in the next round thanks to a lucky draw.
The competition will kick off with a couple of duels on Tuesday, while the remaining fixtures are scheduled to take place on Wednesday. Luckily for this tournament's fans, we won't have to wait much time to know the semi finalists, as the return legs will be played next week.
Here's a glimpse on what to expect in this week's games.
2023 CONCACAF Champions League - Short preview for all games
Philadelphia Union vs Atlas - The Union barely struggled to reach this round after their emphatic win against Alianza, while Atlas had to come from behind in spectacular fashion to defeat Olimpia. Now, with both teams enjoying a clean slate, all bets will be off when the team from the City of Brotherly love welcomes Los Rojinegros, who will have the speedy Julian Quiñones and striker Julio Furch as their main threats for this tie.
León vs Violette AC - Los Esmeraldas had quite a controversial game during the weekend against América, and any experience they earned from that match will be put to good use when they welcome the surprising team from Haiti, who eliminated Austin FC to reach this stage. León have to be considered the massive favorites to win this tie, but as recent history has shown us, ruling out this combative team could be a massive mistake, and that will be the first thing to avoid for Nicolás Larcamón's men.
Motagua vs Tigres UANL - The 2020 CONCACAF Champions League winners enter this match with much to show after struggling to reach this stage. Now, Tigres will face Motagua, one of the teams that shocked the competition by eliminating the current Liga MX champions Pachuca thanks to a timely away goal. Tigres will have to show some improvement in this tie if they want to reach the semis, while Motagua's involvement in the tournament has already exceeded their expectations, and if they can extend their run in the tournament with a couple more classy outings, so be it.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs Los Angeles FC - The all-MLS tie will feature the Canadian champions and the U.S. champions, with both sides ready to prove their worth in this interesting clash. The Black and Gold struggled a bit more to eliminate Alajuelense, while the Whitecaps barely struggled in the return tie after a comfortable 5-0 win in the first leg against Real España. History tells us that both teams have won four matches against each other, and three more have concluded in draws, so we can expect a tough battle between these familiar foes with a semi-final spot up for grabs.
2023 CONCACAF Champions League - Quarterfinals broadcast info (1st leg)
