Giovani dos Santos excited to face Chivas in the Liguilla quarterfinals
Giovani dos Santos, a footballer for América, will participate in his second Liguilla in Mexican football, where he will face Chivas for the first time. These are matches he dreamed of playing since he was a child, when his father Zizinho played for Las Águilas. He considers that the love for Club América is ingrained in his heart and he cannot see himself wearing the Guadalajara jersey.
"I have been a fan of América since I was a child, since my father played here, and the most special matches were always against Chivas, matches that I always dreamed of playing and now they are becoming a reality. I have truly enjoyed them a lot, and by being here, you realize the magnitude and how important a match against Chivas is," he said at a press conference on Tuesday before traveling to Guadalajara for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Guard1anes 2020.
"I am an América supporter at heart. If I returned to Mexico, it's because the doors of Club América were open, and I always dreamed of playing for this club, so I never thought I would wear the rival's jersey."
Dos Santos stated that the team is accustomed to playing without fans, so he hopes that the presence of spectators for the first leg against Chivas will not affect them, as he believes that it wouldn't have much weight if the stadium isn't full.
"I think there will be around six or seven thousand people in the stadium. I'm not sure how much it will affect us because a full stadium does play an important factor for the home team. It will be a different experience playing a Liguilla with fewer supporters, but we are used to it. We have had a very good season without our fans, and obviously, we miss them. I hope they continue taking care of themselves at home."
"Above all, people's health comes first. As players, we want the fans to return, but we are still in a health emergency, and we need to continue taking care of ourselves. I know it has been a difficult year for everyone, both for players and fans who haven't been able to go to the stadium. I would like to tell the fans to continue supporting us from home, so they can come to the Estadio Azteca as soon as possible."
The number 10 of América believes that he has been working very well in recent weeks and is physically ready to be considered by Miguel Herrera, whom he considers the best coach in Mexican football.
"The team is very motivated. I think we had a very good campaign, we finished in the top four, and we have been improving. We ended the tournament very well. Miguel is a winning coach, for me, he is the best coach in Mexico. He knows very well what the classics mean, and he always knows how to get the best out of the team. In this case, I think the team has been working very well."