LAFC faces a dangerous Alajuelense in the round of 16 of the 2026 Champions Cup

LAFC, which has began its new stage nicely below the technical path of coach Marc Dos Santos, will face the Liga Deportiva Alajuelense of Costa Rica this Tuesday in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Concacaf Champions Cup, at the BMO Stadium, at 8 pm (FS2/TUDN).

The season could not have began higher for Dos Santos, who changed Steve Cherundolo on the bench and made his MLS debut with a resounding victory against Inter Miami, current league championat the Los Angeles Coliseum. Then, they eradicated Real España of Honduras in the earlier round of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup by a 7-1 combination rating. He then returned to MLS, the place he additionally defeated Dynamo and FC Dallas.

But in Concacaf tournaments something can occur. That is why in these round of 16, LAFC is aware of that it must get an necessary rating at house on Tuesday, since the second leg of the sequence will likely be performed on Tuesday, March 17, at the Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium, house of Alajuelense.

“We have to handle the first game in the best way possible to put ourselves in a good situation. We know how difficult it is to play in Costa Rica,” Dos Santos mentioned.

“The key will be to maintain consistency,” agreed French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. “It’s a Champions Cup match; the opponent doesn’t matter. We want to get a good result to then travel to Costa Rica in a favorable position.”

In its three earlier appearances in the event, LAFC has reached the last in 2020 and 2023.

Lloris insisted that the workforce’s goal for this begin of the season is to be dominant not solely at the starting, but in addition to know attain the last stretch nicely.

“It’s not just about starting the year well, but about maintaining consistency,” mentioned Lloris, world champion in 2018.

In 2023, LAFC first beat Alajuelense 3-0 as a customer, thanks to a few targets from Denis Bouanga, placing Los Angeles on observe regardless of dropping 2-1 in the second leg in Los Angeles.

“They are different teams, different players and a different context,” Dos Santos warned on Monday when remembering that 2023 sequence.

“Each match has its own story. The last time we faced this rival they beat us at home, so we know they are a complicated team,” mentioned the coach. “They are going to try to take advantage of our mistakes and play in transition, so we will have to be very attentive.”

Alajuelense gamers pose for a workforce picture throughout the match between Pumas UNAM and Alajuelense, similar to the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, at the Estadio Olimpico Universitario, on March 4, 2025, in Mexico City, Mexico.

(Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images)

Alajuelense, led by Óscar ‘Macho’ Ramírez, arrives as the chief of the Apertura in Costa Rica and with the intention of inflicting a shock.

“We will try to be competitive,” Ramírez mentioned Tuesday at a press convention. “There is no margin for error. You have to play with a lot of concentration and do it collectively.”

Midfielder and former World Cup participant Celso Borges additionally anticipated a demanding sequence.

“It’s a super match for us. In this type of match you have to take care of every detail, because any mistake is costly,” mentioned Borges.

The winner of the key will face the winner of the sequence between Cruz Azul and Monterrey in the quarterfinals.