Expectations for Club América have never been higher than they are now. After an extraordinary 2023/2024 season in which the team crowned themselves back-to-back champions, the bar was set high for this 2024 Apertura season. It is safe to say that it has been a less-than-ideal start for Club América, who go into the Leagues Cup break with only six points out of the possible twelve available. Two wins and two losses in four games for the reigning bicampeón, a true reflection of the current state of the team. América has played well below expectations, leaving plenty to wonder if the team has come down with a case of ‘campeonitis’ or if it’s just a bump in the road for the team in quest of the three-peat.

Taking into consideration that the team has had a vast majority of absences along the way in these past four matches, one can deduce that because of the injuries and players on international duty, this team was always going to struggle one way or another. However, the reality is that América is a club that cannot afford excuses; the expectation is always to win. This is even more apparent considering that three out of the four opponents they faced should have been easy victories. Now the question is, where do the issues stem from, and how will André Jardine find the answers to get this América side back to winning ways?

Disappointing Start to Club América's Season Ahead of Leagues Cup Break

Early Start Plagues the Team

With expectations high for the 2024 Apertura season, it did not help that Club América returned to action just five weeks after winning the 2024 Clausura final. This is a short period for a team that played a large number of matches last season. With the early start to the season, it also meant key players would not be available due to their participation with their national teams in the Copa América. Little rest and the absences of key players were always going to make life difficult for América. André Jardine had major limitations as his squad continued to thin out, with players like Julián Quiñones leaving the club. With no major reinforcements, the Brazilian manager had no option but to start the season with what he had. Even with these restrictions, the consensus was that the team would be able to get good results against lower-tier sides. An expectation that sadly fell short of becoming true.

Injuries Handicap Jardine’s System

As if early starts and a thinning squad were not bad enough, Jardine has had the misfortune of seeing key players go down with injuries. With the lack of depth already an issue, the depth chart continued to deplete. After not having a proper left-winger, Jardine opted to put Zendejas on the left of his 4-2-3-1 formation, a move that paid dividends for the manager. Unfortunately, Zendejas left the game injured against Querétaro on matchday two. This meant the team now had no one who could naturally play down the left wing. This, coupled with the fact that Diego Valdés is still not one hundred percent fit, means América’s creative options are dwindling. This issue was evident in their loss against Tigres on the road for matchday three.

Much Needed Leagues Cup Break

It seems to be that when it rains in Coapa, it pours, and for the foreseeable future, it seems that Club América is in for a couple of rainy days. The positive news is that the team will have two weeks to get their ducks all lined up in a row thanks to the Leagues Cup break. This means that the aforementioned injured players should be back to full fitness before the team plays in the Leagues Cup knockout round. Also, and most importantly, it will give Jardine and the front office time to finish moving around players and finalize much-needed reinforcements. Club América debuts in the Leagues Cup on August 9th, but before that, they have two friendlies against Premier League sides Chelsea and Aston Villa. These are two great opponents against whom Jardine will be able to refine his tactics and hopefully get his side back to winning ways.

The Brazilian manager is by no means in the hot seat after winning almost everything last season, but this is Club América at the end of the day. Expectations will remain the same, meaning the team needs to find form, and a couple of good results against the likes of Chelsea and Aston Villa will go a long way in preparations for this summer’s Leagues Cup.