Rafa Marquez's Return to the Starting Lineup Brings Joy to Atlas

The return of Rafa Marquez to Atlas' starting lineup left the rojinegros happy, and the vice president of sports, Alberto de la Torre, expressed his satisfaction in a press conference. He stated that there was a moment when they thought the Michoacan player would not be with them, as the Liga MX had not granted permission for the "Kaiser" to play with the Zorros. That is why now that they have their full team, they are enjoying having their idol on the field.

"It helped us that he trained because he provides great leadership during training sessions. We had almost accepted the idea that he wouldn't return, and when they told us he was coming back, it was a boost for the team. We regain leadership like Óscar's; we had none, and we still need to recover Leiton," he said.

Bad News for Atlas: Alustiza Will Not Play Against Tigres

But not everything is good news in the Atlas environment, as it is also confirmed that Matías Alustiza is not fit to play against Tigres, as he has not fully recovered from his muscle injury.

"He had a small tear that kept him out. He is almost one hundred percent. He will still test it today and tomorrow, but there is an 80 percent chance he won't play until the Chivas game. We lose our top scorer, but we know that with an injury like this, it is difficult for him to be at his full potential," he said.

Canteranos Are Stepping Up in the Absence of Alustiza

In the absence of Alustiza, it may be thought that Fidel Martínez or Cristian Tabó could have participation, but this is not the case as these foreign players have fallen short of the expected level. Instead, the young players are representing the institution.

"Yes, but the young players have responded better, that's why we are satisfied. It aligns more with our philosophy for the academy players to debut and show what they can do, especially now that the national team players have returned and can assist us," he said.

Objective: Achieving 26 Points

"Our target for points remains the same, and we still see it within reach. We need 26 points to secure a spot in the playoffs without any issues. To achieve this, we have to win against Tigres or Chivas on Saturday at the Rojiblanco stadium," he concluded.

GPE