3 Cruz Azul players Vancouver Whitecaps must thwart to win Concacaf final | OneFootball

Less than a week until the CONCACAF Champions Cup final against Cruz Azul, the Vancouver Whitecaps are making the last adjustments to bring home the trophy.

The Caps will arrive in Mexico after winning 3-2 against Real Salt Lake on the weekend. (Manager Jesper Sørensen will almost certainly field a reserve-level squad for Wednesday's league game against Minnesota United).

The Whitecaps want to lift the trophy for the first time in the club's history, and they've already outdone their previous best performance, a 2017 semifinal defeat to Tigres UANL.

But even despite beating two Liga MX sides and Lionel Messi's Inter Miami already, Cruz Azul will be the most difficult opponent Vancouver has faced in the competition.

Here are three players Sørensen and his staff need to figure out how to combat if the Whitecaps are to be successful.

And one note before we begin: Carlos Rotondi and Gabriel "Toro" Fernández are not included because of their questionable injury status.

Gonzalo Piovi

Cruz Azul v Monterrey - Torneo Clausura 2025 Liga MX | Jam Media/GettyImages

The most consistent player in the squad, the Argentine defender, became the backbone of the defense. Piovi makes up for his lack of height with strength and determination in ground duels.

Cruz Azul coach Vicente Sánchez uses Piovi as the central defender on his line of five.

And if Rotondi and Fernandez are unavailable, Sanchez will run much of his tactical scheme through Piovi before pursuing a more offensive posture.

Piovi's defensive positioning and aggressiveness when recovering the ball make him a fierce and dangerous player for the 'Caps. To reach the opposing goal, they'll have to get past a physical, archetypal Argentine-style defender whose primary aim is often the man as much as the ball.

Kevin Mier

America v Cruz Azul - Playoffs Torneo Clausura 2025 Liga MX | Jam Media/GettyImages

Kevin Mier, the goalkeeper, is another reason the Mexican team made it this far into the tournament. During the season, Mier has proved to be a key figure in the crucial moments.

His solidity between the posts, his leadership skills that belie his age of just 25 years, and his impressive saves against long-range shots kept Cruz Azul alive throughout the knockout stages.

Cruz Azul is also a team that tries to start the attacks from the goalkeeper and, through a series of movements and passes, gets into the other team's goal to score.

Kevin Mier contributes to that clean build-up play. With a skill rare to goalkeepers, Miers' optimal control on the ball helps him to be ready to distribute quickly to the other side.

Ángel Sepúlveda

Tigres UANL v Cruz Azul - CONCACAF Champions Cup | Jam Media/GettyImages

Ángel Sepúlveda is the mastermind behind the goals of Cruz Azul. The veteran striker is the club's top goalscorer in the Concacaf Champions Cup, with seven goals in seven games to put him two in front of Vancouver's Brian White.

Sepúlveda is a lethal weapon inside the box. His skill in anticipating defenders and finding space within the area makes him the most valuable asset of the Mexican side.

And being 34 years old, Ángel is also a true leader on the field. He is the voice of command for Cruz Azul, and his tactical intelligence makes him a constant threat to opposing defenders.

His experience allows him to know when to drop deep to receive the ball and when to exploit the space behind the center-back.