ORANGEBURG, N.Y. — There are no bigger rivals for New York City FC than the New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC.
The derby battles between New York’s two teams have been epic and TFC, which ousted NYCFC in the MLS Cup playoffs two years ago, is the standard Patrick Vieira’s club is chasing.
But on Tuesday night, Vieira said he is putting the rivalry aside and he’s going all-in on both Eastern Conference foes in their Concacaf Champions League semifinal clashes.
The Red Bulls will be home against Chivas de Guadalajara (8 pm ET; UDN, go90.com), attempting to bounce back from a 1-0 deficit in the first leg at Estadio Akron, while Toronto FC head to Estadio Azteca with a 3-1 lead over Club America (10 pm ET; TSN1/4 in Canada | UDN, go90.com in US).
Vieira will be glued to his television hoping both MLS sides advance.
“i think we have to put rivalry on the side and [put all the support behind] Toronto and Red Bulls and hoping both of them will go through,” Vieira said following training Monday. “That will be, I think, a really strong statement and a strong message to the football world. Having one of those teams representing from MLS I think will be good.”
Vieira said the added publicity from possible success against two of Mexico’s biggest teams could even aid NYCFC, and other teams in the league, when it comes to player interest in MLS.
“You have to promote the MLS. It is really good exposure for the league,” Vieira said. “I think them doing well will help even us to bring good players in the league.”
Following a 2017 which saw NYCFC finish second in the Supporters' Shield standings, and a strong start to 2018 which has New York’s blue club atop the league, there’s a chance NYCFC will be in the 2019 version of the CCL.
“The experience will be good for the club, good for the players, but overall I think we’re in a period where it will be good for the league, really good for the league,” Vieira said. “To have Red Bulls or Toronto in the final would be good, winning it would be even better.”
Since the tournament’s inception in 2008, Mexico has won all nine CCL titles with seven of those finals all-Mexican affairs. MLS teams have reached the finals just twice — Real Salt Lake in 2011 and the Montreal Impact in 2015.
Vieira is hoping this is the year to buck that trend. And with neither Canada or the US national team qualifying for the World Cup this summer in Russia, Vieira believes CCL will be a nice boost to the dual supporters.
“Knowing that America is not going to the World Cup, having one of these teams to be Champions League champion will be good, really good for MLS,” Vieira said.
RBNY vs Chivas Tickets
Get your tickets for Leg 2 of the 2018 Concacaf Champions League semifinal match between New York Red Bulls and C.D. Guadalajara. Don't miss out. Tickets are going fast. Learn more
