Bravos Face Off with Last Place Santos at Home Tonight

Bravos de FC Juarez will host their biggest regional rival in Santos Laguna tonight at Benito Juarez Olympic Stadium. Bravos will be looking to get back on the winning track after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Chivas de Guadalajara two Wednesdays ago in what was their worst performance in this young 2022 Clausura season of Liga BBVA MX.

Santos comes to Borderland in dead last place in the general standings table having only obtained one point in five matches as a result of a 1-1 draw against Tigers in the first match of the season. Since then the team from the state of Coahuila has gone on to allow the most goals in the entire league up to this point of the season with 14.

Meanwhile, FC Juarez is currently in ninth place in the general standings table with six points as a result of 2 wins, 0 wins and 3 losses.

On paper this seems like an ideal situation for FC Juarez to obtain the three points that result from a victory at home. Tonight’s match will also be Santos' third match in less than a week, however, history is not the Bravos side.

In all official competitions, the Bravos have never defeated Santos. In the nine times these two teams have faced each other they have tied three times and Santos has six victories. Bravos has never obtained a victory.

During the week, FC Juarez forward Maximiliano Silvera and midfielder Francisco Contreras spoke with the media regarding tonight’s match at home.

Silvera said, “We have to bounce back this Friday against Santos Laguna who is a good team, but we have the capacity to do so. We have to trust in the hard work we put in over the course of the week with our head coach (‘Tuca’ Ferretti) who has re-instill in us to dominate ball possession, attack from the flanks and arrive in the offensive third with ball in possession. If we execute in that manner, we will obtain the desired result.”

Contreras, who had a very dismal performance coming on as a sub last game against Chivas talked about the new challenge he was faced this season playing as a fullback. Contreras said, “I’ve felt quite comfortable as a fullback. Last season I ended up playing as a fullback and I had never played in that position. Still, wherever I’m needed I will try to do my best if it means that I get minutes. I feel I can take advantage of my speed more coming from the defensive line and attack with an element of surprise. I have struggled in the defensive aspect but I feel I’m getting better with every passing day.”

Tonight’s match is scheduled for 8 p.m. MST kickoff and will be televised nationally on TUDN, DirecTV ch. 464 Spectrum ch. 444.