Clásico de México highlights Wednesday’s CCC Round of 16 schedules | OneFootball

MIAMI – The 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup continues on Wednesday with four first leg matches in the Round of 16.

Mexican powers CD Guadalajara and Club América will renew their rivalry at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. Simultaneously, CS Herediano will host LA Galaxy at Estadio José Rafael Fello Meza in Cartago, Costa Rica.

Two matches will follow in the Pacific Northwest with Vancouver Whitecaps FC hosting Liga MX side CF Monterrey at BC Place in Vancouver, Canada and Seattle Sounders FC taking on Cruz Azul at Lumen Field in Seattle, USA.

CD Guadalajara vs. Club América

Mexico’s most storied rivalry takes center stage as Chivas and América clash in another edition of the national Clásico at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Mexico. Las Aguilas will begin their campaign in the 2025 edition as the reigning Liga MX champions earned a first-round bye.

This series will mark the fifth time the rivals play each other in Champions Cup. The tournament’s all-time winners, seven-time champs América, hold the advantage with a 2-1-1 record. The two also met in the Round of 16 last year with Las Aguilas advancing 5-3 on aggregate. Guadalajara has never eliminated another Mexican club in a two-legged series in the tournament’s history.

Chivas got a few different goal contributors in the first round with Luis Rey, Fernando Beltrán, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez and Armando González all finding the back of the net. Key playmakers Jonathan Padilla and Cade Cowell will be instrumental in keeping the offense flowing.

América was the top-scoring team in last year’s edition with 19 total goals, alongside champions CF Pachuca. Alejandro Zendejas and Henry Martín are the players to watch for América in an always potent attack. Goalkeeper Luis Malagón could also be a factor as he has kept clean sheets in seven of the ten Clásico de México matches he has played against Chivas. The Mexican made 27 saves in eight appearances last year, leading the tournament with 17 clearances.

A Bit of History: CD Guadalajara v Club America

Club América is making its seventh appearance in the Round of 16, having advanced in five of the previous six. The only time they were eliminated at this stage was in the 2002 edition, when Costa Rica’s LD Alajuelense knocked them out with a 3-0 aggregate score.

CD Guadalajara is set for its third Round of 16 appearance, having progressed past this stage on both previous occasions, including a victory over Cibao FC from the Dominican Republic.

For Club América, this will be their ninth two-legged series against a Liga MX rival. Out of the previous eight, they’ve only been eliminated twice—by Deportivo Toluca in the 2002/03 semifinals and CF Pachuca in the 2024 semifinals.

Meanwhile, Club Guadalajara will be facing a fellow Mexican club in a home-and-away series for the fourth time. History hasn't been kind to them in these matchups, as they’ve been eliminated in all three prior encounters—against CF América in the 1985 North/Central America first round, against CF Pachuca in the 2006/07 Grand Final, and again against CF América in the 2024 Round of 16.

CS Herediano vs. LA Galaxy

CS Herediano meets reigning MLS champion LA Galaxy at Estadio José Rafael Fello Meza in Cartago, Costa Rica. It will be the third time in the tournament’s history they play each other, with the Galaxy remaining unbeaten in the series after eliminating Herediano in the 2012-13 quarterfinals.

The Costa Rican side is undefeated in Round of 16 first leg matches played at home and has scored two or more goals in each match at this stage: 2-2 vs. Tigres UANL (2018), 3-1 vs. Atlanta United (2019), and 2-0 vs. Robinhood (2024).

The LA Galaxy has gone four matches without a win in Champions Cup, with their last victory coming in the 2015-16 edition, a 5-0 shutout over Comunicaciones. This will be the 2024 MLS Cup champions’ first appearance in the tournament in ten years. Gabriel Pec and Marco Reus will lead the charge for them as Riqui Puig and Joseph Paintsil both recover from injury.

A Bit of History: CS Herediano vs. LA Galaxy

This marks the third time LA Galaxy will face a Costa Rican club in a Concacaf Champions Cup two-legged series. They were eliminated by Deportivo Saprissa in the 2005/06 quarterfinals with a 3-2 aggregate score but later advanced past CS Herediano in the 2012/13 quarterfinals with a commanding 4-1 aggregate victory.

CS Herediano will go up against an MLS side in the Champions Cup for the fourth time. Their history in these matchups has been tough, with two eliminations at the hands of LA Galaxy in the 2012/13 quarterfinals (4-1 aggregate) and against Atlanta United in the 2019 Round of 16 (5-3 aggregate). However, they finally broke through in the 2025 edition, defeating Real Salt Lake in the First Round with a 2-1 aggregate score.

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Monterrey

Vancouver Whitecaps FC host CF Monterrey at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia. It will be the first meeting ever between these two clubs in the history of the tournament as Monterrey makes its fourth Round of 16 appearance and the Whitecaps plays in its second.

Vancouver, which has won six of their last nine Champions Cup home matches, will be led by dynamic duo Brian White and Ryan Gauld. Gauld struck the opening goal in the ‘Caps Round One series against Saprissa, while White struck a brace in the second leg to help the Canadian side win on aggregate.

Rayados have successfully advanced in the previous instances — 2019 against Alianza FC (SLV), 2021 against Atlético Pantoja (DOM), and 2024 against FC Cincinnati (USA). The Mexican side hope to make another strong run after falling in the semifinals last year to the Columbus Crew. Germán Berterame, who scored a brace in their 3-0 victory over Forge in the second leg of Round One, is the catalyst for Monterrey. Nelson Deossa and Jordi Cortizo, who both found the back of the net in the opening round as well, are major contributors.

A Bit of History: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. CF Monterrey

CF Monterrey is set to take on a Canadian club for the third time in Champions Cup history, having previously faced White Eagles and Forge FC. Notably, this will be the first time they meet two Canadian clubs in a single edition. In 1975, they eliminated White Eagles with a 5-1 aggregate score, while in the 2025 edition, they cruised past Forge FC with a 5-0 aggregate victory.

Vancouver Whitecaps will face a Mexican club in the Champions Cup for the third time. Their past encounters have not gone their way, as they were eliminated by Tigres UANL in both the 2016/17 semifinals (4-1 aggregate) and the 2024 edition (also 4-1 aggregate).

Seattle Sounders vs. Cruz Azul

Seattle Sounders FC host Cruz Azul at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington. After 28 years since their last Champions Cup meeting, the two will meet each other in the tournament for the first time in Seattle’s MLS era. That Mexican side won the 1997 clash in a 11-0 rout.

Seattle, the 2022 winners of the tournament, are on a 12-game unbeaten streak in Champions Cup, marking the longest streak by an MLS team in the modern era. The Sounders are led by newcomers Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola along with Pedro de la Vega, who scored three goals in Round One against Antigua GFC.

Cruz Azul, a six-time champion of the tournament has advanced past every Round of 16 stage it has contested (5-0-1) while tallying 18 goals and only conceding two. La Maquina will rely on Ángel Sepúlveda and Mateusz Bogusz, who combined for three goals and three assists in the first round versus Real Hope.

A Bit of History: Seattle Sounders FC vs. Cruz Azul

Cruz Azul is set to face an MLS club in a home-and-away series for just the second time in history, with their only prior matchup coming against Sporting Kansas City in the 2013-14 quarterfinals, where they advanced with a 5-2 aggregate score.

Seattle Sounders, on the other hand, are no strangers to Mexican opposition, as they gear up for their eighth two-legged series against a Liga MX club. Out of the previous seven, they've successfully advanced three times—first in the 2012/13 quarterfinals against Tigres UANL (3-2 aggregate), then in the 2022 quarterfinals against Club León (4-1 aggregate), and finally in the 2022 final, where they defeated Pumas UNAM 5-2 on aggregate to lift their first-ever Concacaf Champions Cup trophy.