Víctor Guzmán on Rayados’ Liguilla Mentality: ‘I Want to be a Protagonist’

The Liguilla will begin on Wednesday for CF Monterrey, who will travel to face Atlético San Luis for the first-leg. Afterward, the two clubs will head to the Estadio BBVA for the second-leg.

Manager Fernando Ortiz guided Rayados to finish second in the table behind Club América, making them the favorites against San Luis. However, center-back Víctor Guzmán said he prefers to be considered a protagonist rather than a favorite in the Liguilla.

Víctor Guzmán avoids using the “favorite” label with Rayados

“I think I could see favoritism as labels,” Guzmán told reporters on Monday (h/t Telediario). “The truth is I wouldn’t want to get too involved in saying the favorites, but the quality of players we have, the squad, requires us to be protagonists. I don’t want to use the word favoritism, but I want to be a protagonist.”

Furthermore, Guzmán noted the mentality that the squad needs to play with. San Luis is coming off a play-in win over Club Leon, so they’ll have some momentum heading into the first-leg.

“Yes, play with that hunger to win,” Guzmán added. “We, as I told you, are going to try to be protagonists and give everything every minute for each play. The truth is that we will not go there and wait for the return. 

“We want to go there to propose and then close in our house with our people, and well, I think that, the hunger to win, I think that could be the word to describe what you are asking me.”