Monterrey eliminated from the Concachampions and Martín Demichelis's continuity in doubt

In the Cocachampions, the most prestigious club tournament in Concacaf, Monterrey was a candidate to go far. Its history in the competition and the internationally renowned players in its squad, such as Sergio Ramos, Jesús Corona, Lucas Ocampos, Sergio Canales, or Esteban Andrada, made it seem like they had a serious chance to fight for the title. However, their participation was abruptly interrupted by a surprising rival, the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Los Rayados tied the second leg of the round of 16 at the last minute, with a penalty goal by Sergio Ramos, leaving the series 3 to 3. However, this wasn't enough to take the series to extra time, as the Canadian team scored more away goals, unexpectedly eliminating the Mexican team and putting Martín Demichelis's continuity in doubt.

After the 1 to 1 draw in the first leg in Canada, Monterrey had two ways to qualify in the second leg, by winning the match or drawing 0 to 0, as the away goal rule still applies in this tournament. The match began with a partial victory for Los Rayados with a goal by Canales at 4 minutes into the first half. Despite having the odds against them, Vancouver Whitecaps didn't let themselves be intimidated and managed to turn the match and the series around, with goals by Ocampos and White at 56 and 78 minutes respectively.

The Mexican team needed to score two goals to qualify for the quarterfinals, and time was starting to work against them. Although they tried from all sides, they would only manage to tie at the end of the match, with a penalty goal by Sergio Ramos at 97 minutes, being eliminated early from the Conchampions.

El penal de Sergio Ramos no pudo salvar al Monterrey

With this defeat, it seems that both the management and the fans of Monterrey have let go of Martín Demichelis, who could be dismissed from his position in the coming hours. The elimination was undoubtedly a hard blow, but his campaign at the local level doesn't seem to help the former Millonario coach either. He is currently in 9th place in the Clausura 2025 with 16 points, the result of 4 wins, 6 draws, and 3 losses, in the penultimate position that grants passage to the Play In.

The Rayados committee will have to move quickly, as in less than three months the Club World Cup begins, where they will share a group with River, Inter, and Urawa Red Diamonds. While it seems like an opportunity to "get revenge" on his former club for his bad exit, everything seems to indicate that the coach's future is far from the Mexican team.