TACTICAL PREVIEW: What to expect from Vancouver Whitecaps, Cruz Azul in Concacaf Champions Cup final?
It’s a daunting task.
Having reached their first-ever Concacaf Champions Cup final, the Vancouver Whitecaps will fancy their chances of winning, as they look to put a bow on what’s been a magical journey in this tournament.
With CD Saprissa, CF Monterrey, Pumas UNAM and Inter Miami all in the rearview mirror, the Whitecaps have one last battle - a one-off final vs. Cruz Azul, who they’ll play at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario on Sunday, June 1st.
For the Whitecaps, it’s relatively uncharted territory for them, at least in recent years - since they joined MLS in 2011, they’ve won just four trophies, all four of them coming in the Canadian Championship.
In fact, that competition has been the only one in which they’ve had any success, reaching nine finals since 2011. In contrast, they’ve otherwise struggled to make many deep runs in the MLS Cup playoffs, Concacaf Champions Cup, or Leagues Cup over that span.
Yet, this shows why this run is so unprecedented. Typically, the teams that have reached the final of the CCC over the last decade have been teams with a rich history of success in their domestic leagues and within this competition.
Certainly, that’s the case for the Whitecaps' opponent in this final, as Cruz Azul are six-time winners of the Champions Cup - only Club América has more. Not only that, but this is Cruz Azul’s ninth CCC final, which is the most in the competition’s history.
Granted, a lot of that history came a long time ago, with just one of those final appearances coming after the Whitecaps even entered MLS, as Cruz Azul won their sixth Champions Cup by defeating Toluca in the 2013-2014 final, but it gives an idea of the historical giant the Whitecaps are up against. A team that has also won nine Liga MX titles, four Copa MXs, and even once made the final of the Copa Libertadores, they certainly have the pedigree to lift a trophy on June 1st.
That’s one of the many reasons why this final is so fascinating, however. Despite their vastly different histories in this competition, this is expected to be a very even matchup, as both teams are very deserving finalists.
Two teams that play entertaining, swashbuckling football, they’ll look to put the bow on what have been impressive runs from both of them up until this point.
Building off all of that, however, here’s a look at what to expect from Cruz Azul, and how the Whitecaps might try to stop them.
🇲🇽 Cruz Azul vs Vancouver 🇨🇦
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) May 27, 2025
Everything has led up to this epic Final! pic.twitter.com/IbzBIFuGXm
What to expect from Cruz Azul?
It all comes down to this for Cruz Azul.
Despite their excellent run in this competition, outscoring opponents 15-3 across the eight games that they’ve played, Cruz Azul’s season could very well feel like a failure if they don’t win.
Revive las Batallas Épicas del Cruz Azul en su Camino a la Final 🚂 pic.twitter.com/Cu0nkEtJbk
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) May 26, 2025
Why is that the case? They’ve come up short when it’s counted in Liga MX, meaning that a loss in this tournament will leave them without any silverware in 2024-2025, which will feel heartbreaking for a team that has been one of the best in Concacaf over the past 12 months.
After flaming out in the Round of 16 of the 2024 Leagues Cup, they followed that up by finishing first in the regular season Apertura, picking up 42 out of a possible 51 points (13W-3D-1L). Yet, they weren’t able to parlay that into success in the Liguilla, as their cross-city rivals Club América defeated them 4-3 in leg two of their semi-final matchup.
Then, after a quieter Clausura, one where they finished third with a record of 9W-6D-2L as they juggled CCC responsibilities and the departure of manager Martín Anselmi to Porto, they unfortunately met a similar fate in the Liguilla under new manager Vicente Sánchez - once again, they lost to Club América in the semi-finals, falling on away goals after drawing 2-2 on aggregate.
Because of that, it’s ramped up the pressure for them to win this CCC final, especially given that they’ll be (sort of) playing at home (their famed Estadio Azteca is currently under renovations, hence why the game is at the nearby Estadio Olímpico Universitario), and against a Whitecaps team with a lack of history in this competition.
Given that they’ve won just one Liga MX title and one CCC title since the turn of the century, falling in the CCC final would prove to rivals that their title of Mexican giants is more of a historical one than anything else.
Stepping back from the historical context of this team, however, it’s important to ask a key question from the Whitecaps' perspective - what should one expect from this Cruz Azul team?
The answer is they’ve been a very good team in 2024-2025, which is another reason why finishing the season without a trophy will feel so frustrating for them. In all competitions, they’re scoring an average of 1.78 goals per game and conceding just 0.85, and are outshooting opponents 14.1 to 8.34 on average.
Yet, that gives an idea of what this team has done well - they’re a free-flowing, offensive juggernaut, but are just as good at sitting back and defending when they need to.
Certainly, that’s been the case on this Champions Cup run, where they’re outshooting opponents 14.38 to 7.88, and are generating 1.59 xG while conceding just 0.95 per game on average.
Thanks to a system that encourages free-flowing attacking play, but combined with defensive responsibility, they do a good job of controlling the game in both phases, which can be rare.
A credit to that, however, is the work done by Anselmi and now Sánchez, as they’ve maintained a flexible formation that sees Cruz Azul attack in a 3-4-3 and defend in a back five, with their wing backs the key to tying their success on both sides of the ball together.
Because of that, it’ll be expected that those wing backs, Jorge Sánchez and Carlos Rotondi, play a big role in the final - there’s a reason why they’ve each played more than 3000 minutes in 2024-2025, with Sánchez finding two goals and three assists and Rotondi finding a whopping 12 goals and nine assists. It’s worth noting, however, that Rotondi missed Cruz Azul’s second leg semi-final vs. Club América on May 17th with knee discomfort - Cruz Azul will hope he’s back to 100% for this final, as they missed him big time in that match. 
Carlos Rotondi's percentile chart from Liga MX play in 2024-2025, showcasing his impact on and off the ball
Otherwise, the big name to watch is Angel Sepúlveda, as the veteran Mexican striker is having an outstanding season, scoring 21 goals and adding four assists in all competitions, including a tournament-leading seven goals in the CCC. An intelligent striker who has fantastic movement in the box, he’s been a perfect fit for this system, as he knows how to get on the end of crosses from Sánchez and Rotondi, while complementing those around him in the front three in the 3-4-3, who usually operate more as #10s than wingers.
¡Doblete de Ángel Sepúlveda en la recta final! ⚽⚽ pic.twitter.com/SPTYnIMRGw
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) April 9, 2025
Speaking of those #10s, there are a couple of dangerous players to watch in those positions, too - Ignacio Rivero has scored 15 goals and added six assists from that position, while former LAFC midfielder Mateusz Bogusz has one goal and five assists in that spot after joining halfway through the campaign.
Otherwise, the rest of the spine can be best described as solid and functional - Érik Lira and Carlos Rodriguez are as steady as they come in midfield, having accumulated the third and fourth most minutes on the team in 2024-2025, while the pair of centre backs Willer Ditta and Gonzalo Piovi are the regular names in the back three who protect goalkeeper Kevin Mier.
Lastly, the big thing that stands about this team’s squad is their depth, as someone like Georgios Giakoumakis, who they spent a lot of money to get from Atlanta United last summer, has played more of a supersub role, yet has scored nine goals and added seven assists despite being 13th on his team in minutes. That depth stands out in attack, in particular, Giakoumakis and Gabriel Fernández (seven goals, two assists) compete with Sepúlveda at striker, while Lorenzo Faravelli (eight goals, one assist) is competing with Rivero and Bogusz for minutes at the #10.
In terms of their style of play, Cruz Azul do a good job of holding possession, averaging 56.69% of possession in all competitions, but are comfortable with playing direct, averaging 4.55 passes per possession and sending 11.4% of their passes long. Yet, when you watch them play, that’s not surprising to see - when they win the ball, they throw numbers up the field, and aren’t afraid to attack into space if it’s available to them, otherwise staying patient when those counter-attacks aren’t on.
Conversely, they’re a solid and well-drilled defensive unit, as their earlier shot against and xG numbers show, which is further confirmed by the fact that they limit their opponents to just 3.58 passes per possession, an average shot distance of 19.43 and have a PPDA of 9.32, showing that they do press a decent amount, too.
Lastly, one thing to watch out for is corners - with several players capable of whipping a ball in, and some good targets, they turn 30.5% of their corners into shots, which is decent, especially when considering they have 5.57 corners per game, a byproduct of their aggressive offensive system.
Yet, all of this paints a pretty good picture of how Cruz Azul were able to reach this final, getting past Real Hope, Seattle Sounders, Club América and Tigres UNAL to get there - they’re a balanced team with good depth and a clear way of playing, and they’ll hope that gets them over the line in this final. 
What about the Whitecaps?
Of course, it’s worth remembering that these Whitecaps are a formidable unit of their own, and they’ve continued to show that as of late.
As of writing (the Whitecaps still have one match remaining before this final, as they host Minnesota United on May 28th), they’re first in all of MLS, sitting with a record of 9W-4D-1L through 14 games. That’s arguably the most impressive part of this run, however - typically, MLS teams that have made deep runs in the CCC usually do so at risk of poor MLS results, but the Whitecaps have managed to juggle both competitions seamlessly.
GOAL 🏔️🏔️
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) April 10, 2025
THE WHITECAPS SCORE AGAIN! 🤯
Tristan Blackmon finds the in-game equalizer, the 3-3 aggregate AND the away goals advantage and #VWFC have minutes to go before clinching a semi-final berth in #ConcaChampions 🏆 pic.twitter.com/bfDTvI6XDl
What’s most remarkable about all of that, however, is that this has all come under a new manager, Jesper Sørensen. Often, managerial experience is seen as an important prerequisite to navigate the unique nature of Concacaf, but Sørensen has adapted seamlessly, which is a credit to him and the squad that the Whitecaps have built up.
Already a solid team before his arrival, one that had qualified for the past two CCCs, and were coming off a run of three straight Canadian Championships, Sørensen was brought in to bring the Whitecaps over the hump they struggled to get over under Vanni Sartini, which was to compete for MLS and continental silverware.
So far, Sørensen’s got them on the right track, and the numbers show that. Scarily, there are no signs that this early stretch has been a fluke - the Whitecaps have the best expected goal difference in MLS this year (via FBRef), and are on track for the second-best ever season on American Soccer Analysis' goals added model, only behind 2019 LAFC, who won the Supporters Shield.
Weekly Storylines ahead of a big week for #VWFC 🧵
— Whitecaps FC Communications (@VWFC_PR) May 26, 2025
‘CAPS ON TOP: The ‘Caps are back at the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings thanks to their 9W-1L-4D record (31 points). They also hold a 4-point advantage on second-placed San Diego FC in the Western Conference.#VANvMIN pic.twitter.com/3qSFghVWHT
A deeper look at their numbers shows that, as the Whitecaps are averaging 1.62 xG for and 1.03 xG against in all competitions, and are outshooting opponents 11.87 to 9.52, doing so while averaging 54% of possession.
Otherwise, they’re also averaging 4.72 passes per possession, and have an average shot distance of 16.86 - they know how to hold onto the ball before getting into the dangerous areas of the pitch.
Then, defensively, they’re quite solid - they hold opponents to 3.92 passes per possession, have a PPDA of 10.52, and allow shots from an average distance of 19.05, as they’re doing a great job of keeping opponents far away from their goal.
What’s been most impressive about all of this, too? They’ve dealt with some tough injuries, as their best player, Ryan Gauld, has been out since March and is unlikely to feature in this final, while key pieces such as Sam Adekugbe, Mathías Laborda and Jayden Nelson have all missed significant stretches this season.
Thanks to Sørensen’s system, however, he’s created an environment where players can step up and shine, which has pushed several players to new heights. No matter who is in the lineup, which he’s done well to rotate, the principles haven’t changed, which has allowed them to maintain such a high level despite how busy their schedule has been.
GOAL 🏔️
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) April 25, 2025
BRIAN WHITE OPENS THE SCORING FOR THE VANCOUVER WHITECAPS 💥
🔴 Watch #VWFC vs. Inter Miami in #ConcaChampions SF LEG 1 on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/8weXjpOeKm
Yet, that’s why they’ve already got 18 players on their team who have played more than 500 minutes - and that’s without Gauld, who only hit 390 before his injury - as it’s truly been a team effort. That’s further shown in the fact that they’ve got 14 different goal scorers, and 18 players with a goal contribution.
No doubt, however, even without Gauld, this team still has a few stars to watch.
Up front, Brian White has hit a new level this year, already up to 15 goals in all competitions, putting him on pace to smash his career-best of 20 goals, coming in 2023. Given that he had a reputation of being quite reliant on Gauld to score goals before, that he’s been firing like this is a huge credit to him, but it’s a sign of how good he’s been - this doesn’t even describe the impact he’s had with his hold-up play and pressing game, either.
GOAL 🏔️
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) May 1, 2025
BRIAN WHITE IS HIM.@WhitecapsFC tie the game and Inter Miami need 3 goals 🤯
🔴 Watch Inter Miami vs. #VWFC in #ConcaChampions SF LEG 2 on OneSoccer pic.twitter.com/DnjNXmaxmo
Otherwise, the Whitecaps have had some pretty important contributions from their wingers - Ali Ahmed has already bested a career-high for goal contributions with one goal and six assists, while Jayden Nelson has two goals and six assists. Then, in midfield, they’re also profiting from some impressive seasons from Pedro Vite (five goals, three assists) and Sebastian Berhalter (four goals, six assists), with that pair doing a large chunk of the work in ensuring Gauld’s absence wouldn’t be felt. 
Pedro Vite's percentile chart from MLS play in 2025, showcasing his impact on and off the ball
Lastly, their backline has done a great job, on both sides of the ball, with Ranko Veselinovic and Tristan Blackmon forming an impressive centre back duo, no matter their full backs, which have cycled through Adekugbe, Laborda, Ediér Ocampo and Tate Johnson, while goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka has hit a new level this year.
Yet, there’s no doubt that Sørensen’s system fits this team perfectly. A high-tempo, possession-based style that asks a lot of his team on the ball, the Whitecaps' ethos is all about ‘control’ - what they do on the ball is a big reason for their offensive success, as well as their strong defensive record.
Armed with a talented group of players who are technical enough to play the system, but also willing to work hard off the ball, it’s proven to be a good match. Often deployed in a flexible 4-3-3, it’s not uncommon to see them flood numbers forward from midfield and full back to support the attack, as they try to overwhelm opposing defenders, but what’s as impressive is how they then get back behind the ball to press and defend their net when they lose it.
Before, there was always an element of chaos in all aspects of the Whitecaps' play, but they now know how to control the game in all phases, and that’s led to this success. 
How will both match up?
Having seen how both teams play, it’s worth quickly diving into how both teams should match up, as there will be several key battles to watch and some important questions to answer.
Firstly, it’s worth noting that freshness is going to be a big factor, as Cruz Azul haven’t played since their elimination from the Clausura playoffs on May 18th, and have a relatively clean bill of health, at least in terms of key regulars, other than Rotondi’s potential doubt.
Meanwhile, for the Whitecaps, this final will be their fifth game since May 17th, as they’ve got a busy schedule to deal with to end May. Along with the likely absence of Gauld, they’ll also be missing another big piece for this final - Sebastian Berhalter, who misses out due to yellow card accumulation, having scored three goals and added two assists in Concacaf competition, putting in four straight player of the game performances between the quarter-finals and semi-finals to help the Whitecaps reach this stage.
Combined with the fact that the Whitecaps have to travel for the final, which Cruz Azul is hosting, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them deal with fatigue in this one, especially when compared to their Mexican counterparts.
Otherwise, given that this is a matchup between two ball-dominant teams, it’ll be fascinating to see who holds onto more of the ball. Given that Cruz Azul has shown they can sit back defensively and be dangerous on the counter, they might be fine conceding the ball to the Whitecaps, but Vancouver did show against Inter Miami that they, too, can sit back and surprise opponents if needed, which they might have to do for stretches of this game given the circumstances.
Tactically, Cruz Azul’s wing backs are something to watch, as they’ll give Vancouver’s wingers something to think about defensively. As a former full back, Ali Ahmed is an excellent defender and should have no problem with that matchup, but both of his potential winger partners, Jayden Nelson and Emmanuel Sabbi, are more attack-first players, so they will need to adjust to be more defensive when needed.
In midfield, the Whitecaps will feel confident even without Berhalter - Ralph Priso has stepped up in a big way lately, and his presence could free up Pedro Vite to play even more aggressively to fill in for Berhalter’s absence. Otherwise, however, that battle is expected to be fascinating - both teams are excellent in central areas, so don’t be surprised if this battle decides the game.
On that theme, both teams' centre backs will have their hands full, as Sepúlveda and White are the top two scorers in this competition for a reason. If either of those two can find a breakthrough, that could be huge, especially given how good both teams are defensively.
With all of that in mind, here’s a look at how both teams could line up on the day. 
Overall, as seen here, it should be a fantastic match. Both teams match up very well, meaning this game will be decided by the finest of margins - either through a mistake or a moment of quality. Stylistically, both play an attractive brand of soccer, but neither have any glaring weaknesses in their teams, showing why both are deserved finalists.
Now, both will try and go out and cap off a memorable edition of the Champions Cup - the question is, will it be Cruz Azul tying the competition’s record for most wins? Or will the Whitecaps make some history as a club?
That’ll all be decided on June 1st.
(All numbers via WyScout unless otherwise indicated).
