'Clear that América is the biggest club' - Erick Sánchez sends message to Cruz Azul, Las Águilas' opponent in CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals

After securing América’s spot in the Champions Cup quarterfinals, Erick Sánchez said that the team let their performance on the field do the talking, and didn’t get caught up in outside comments.

'We like to let our game do the talking. The team proved it, everyone gave their all. I’m proud of what we did. We were clinical, but it was all built on humility," Sánchez said after the match.

Sánchez also sent a message to Cruz Azul, their opponent in the Champions Cup quarterfinals: 'We know Cruz Azul is a great opponent, but it's clear that América is the biggest club."

Sánchez has become a key player in André Jardine's system. América paid $10 million for him last tournament, and after a somewhat disappointing start, the midfielder has finally secured a spot in the Azulcrema starting lineup. Sánchez has scored two goals in 12 matches for América this year.

Despite his good form, Sánchez was not called up by Javier Aguirre for the Final Four of the CONCACAF Nations League due to the strong competition in Mexico’s midfield.

'In this tournament, everyone knows how much a victory like this means for the entire club," André Jardine said. "This win was going to define a lot about our future, and if you analyze everything, the team has very good numbers in both attack and defense. There’s growth from practically everyone, and the group is ready for decisive moments."

América will face Atlas this Saturday as visitors in Matchday 12 of the Clausura 2025. Las Águilas, currently second in the standings with 24 points, are on a four-game unbeaten streak in Liga MX. Meanwhile, Atlas comes into the match after a historic 4-3 comeback victory over Xolos, where they were trailing 3-0.