Club América vs. Santos Laguna Match Preview | OneFootball

Club América have finally landed their first signing of the Apertura 2026 campaign in 20-year-old Colombian winger Óscar Perea. However, with very little experience in professional football, he’s far from a move that has everyone in the fanbase jumping out of their seats. Even so, América head into Matchday 3 of the Liga MX season unbeaten, sitting on four points, with the chance to face one of Mexican football’s weakest sides in Santos Laguna at home.

Match Details

Club América vs. Santos LagunaKickoff: 7pm ET / 5pm Local / 4pm PTStudio Banorte/Azteca, Mexico CityBroadcast live on ViX and TUDN

Manager Guillermo Almada’s Task

Guillermo Almada’s team may not exactly scream “title contender” on paper, but the man in charge is widely regarded as one of South America’s best coaches today, and there’s little doubt he’ll get the most out of his players. A victory this Sunday at the Estadio Azteca could temporarily paper over the obvious lack of depth in América’s squad while the front office works overtime trying to bring in reinforcements. Three points would also move Las Águilas toward the top of the table and, at the very least, buy some time as Brian Rodríguez and Alejandro Zendejas continue recovering from knee injuries.

But beyond simply winning, Almada’s real mission is getting América to actually play good football—something they haven’t done through their first two Apertura 2026 matches. Sure, winning is what matters most… but style counts too, doesn’t it?

Óscar Perea trained this week at Coapa and has already had the opportunity to meet his new teammates. However, the winger arriving from Racing Strasbourg in France has yet to be officially registered, meaning he’ll only be watching Sunday’s match from the stands.

And for everyone questioning his signing, the player himself responded in an interview with TUDN:

“You’re going to see an Óscar Perea who always wants more, someone who’s used to giving everything, who’s used to winning, and who plays with great responsibility and humility. Óscar Perea is a fast player, a dribbler, someone who scores goals and provides assists—you’ll see that. I play as a left winger, that’s where I feel most comfortable.”

Erick Sánchez Speaks

This Friday, ahead of Club América’s first home match of the season, Erick Sánchez addressed the media. The América midfielder spoke about the lack of new signings and what the club is aiming to accomplish this season.

‘Chiquito’ said he’s completely focused on becoming a champion, regardless of whether more reinforcements arrive. He stressed that transfers are a matter for the club’s board, not the players, whose only concern should be winning trophies.

“The squad we have is focused and fully committed to the objective we all share; it’s the same whether new signings arrive or not. That’s not something that concerns us—that’s for the board to handle. As players, we’re calm because we believe we have a team capable of competing in any tournament. We know we can go toe-to-toe with anyone because of the quality of the players we have.”

According to the América midfielder, the squad’s full attention is on this weekend’s match against Santos Laguna. He also considers the Leagues Cup an important competition and insists the team intends to win it because, at a club like América, lifting trophies isn’t optional—it’s expected.

“We’re focused on this weekend’s match because that’s what’s right in front of us. After that, we’ll think about the Leagues Cup, which is an important tournament. This team is focused on winning because here, if you don’t win, your effort doesn’t count. I actually like that because it shows how big this club is. We have to give everything in every single match we play.”

Adjusting to Almada’s Style

Sánchez also discussed how the squad learned Guillermo Almada would become the new head coach. Having worked under him before, Erick became one of the players responsible for explaining the manager’s methods and demanding style to his teammates.

“When his appointment was announced, we were on vacation, but we communicated with the group. I told them about his style of play, what training sessions are like, and the level of intensity he demands. The team embraced it because we all know we have to work hard, compete, and give everything. In the little time I had to explain it, they quickly started realizing what the coach expects.”

Erick refuses to get caught up in comparisons with other clubs. He acknowledges that teams like Cruz Azul and Toluca have excellent squads, but believes América should never feel inferior because he knows the quality that exists inside the locker room and the commitment every player brings to the pitch.

“We’re a team that doesn’t worry about what’s being said outside. We know Cruz Azul and Toluca have very good squads, but we also know what we have in this locker room. We’re América, and we have quality players. We know who we are and what we’re capable of. It gives me peace of mind because I know how hard my teammates will work, how much they’ll run, and how much they’ll sacrifice. None of that worries me because I know the quality we have in this dressing room.”

Additionally, Israel Reyes returns to the squad after traveling to the MLS vs. Liga MX All-Star Game, while Sebastián Cáceres is also back after missing América’s opening Apertura 2026 matches following his participation in the World Cup.

Projected América XI

Rodolfo Cota; Kevin Álvarez, Sebastián Cáceres, Israel Reyes, Ramón Juárez;Christian Borja; Ícaro; Erick Sánchez, Raphael Veiga, Isaías Violante;Henry Martín

Projected Santos Laguna XI

Carlos Acevedo; Emanuel Echeverría, Franco Pardo, Felipe Sánchez, Mauricio Cuevas; Salvador Mariscal, Carlos Gruezo; Ramiro Sordo, Ezequiel Bullaude, Fran Villalba;Lucas Di Yorio.

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