Tuesday, November 5

Chivas Guadalajara lifted the Árbol de Guernica trophy after beating Athletic Bilbao on penalties at the Akron

Chivas players celebrating their championship title against Athletic Club de Bilbao.
Chivas players celebrating their championship title against Athletic Club de Bilbao.

Photo: Simon Barber/Getty Images

Gregory Torres

Chivas de Guadalajara coach Veljko Paunovic defeated Athletic Bilbao of Spanish football this Sunday 4-2 on penalties to win the Tree of Guernica trophyin a friendly match held at the Akron Stadium on Mexican soil.

After heThe Spaniards won the first leg match 2-0 last DecemberGuadalajara, leader of the Apertura tournament in which he has had a perfect performance in three outings, won by the same score in the second legwhich led to the decision on penalties.

In their stadium, Guadalajara dominated; in the first half he had several approaches to the opposite area until in minute 16 Pavel Pérez he took advantage of the loose mark and knocked on the door for 1-0.

The duel slowed down, but little by little Paunovic’s Guadalajara regained prominence. Yael Padilla scored from Brígido’s left-footed pass in minute 72 and signed the victory that meant tying the series for Guernica.

In the decision on penalties Ricardo Marín, Cristian Calderón, Gilberto Sepúlveda and Juan Brígido converted for the Mexicanson the other hand, Mikel Vesga and Jon Morcillo they were the only ones to do the same for the visitors.

Guadalajara-Athletic Bilbao began a series of seven matches with Spanish soccer teams in Mexico, in the next two weeks.

This Sunday the Santos Laguna will receive Sporting Gijón; on Wednesday Atlas will receive Sporting and Necaxa to Bilbao and next sunday Atlético la Paz from the Expansion League will play in their stadium against Gijón.

He Real Oviedo will visit Pachuca on the 24th, and Tlaxcala on the 27thprelude to Sunday’s games August 2 between Atlético Madrid-Real Sociedad, In Monterrey; and Betis-Sevilla, in Guadalajara.

These matches are part of the strategy of the Spanish LaLiga to get closer to fans in Mexico, a country where Spanish football is widely followed.

Paunovic wants Chivas to get used to winning

After the game, coach Paunovic spoke at a press conference and explained how he hopes his team will always seek victory, this after winning a tournament after two failed attempts.

“We completed a whole list of tasks that we are pending as a team that aspires to be a winner. After two unsuccessful attempts to win a cup, the third time was finally the charm and we did it, ”he declared at a press conference.

Veljko Paunovic, coach of Chivas de Guadalajara.

Photo: Getty Images

Keep reading:
. Veljko Paunovic trusts in the “hunger that characterizes Chivas” for the rest of the Apertura 2023
. Veljko Paunovic surrenders to the youth squad sensation of Chivas de Guadalajara in the Apertura 2023
. Veljko Paunovic sees Alan Pulido as a tough opponent whom they will seek to neutralize in the Leagues Cup