CONCACAF Champions League: Quarterfinals First Leg Preview

The emotions of North American soccer continue, and at this moment, we are reaching the definitive stage of the CONCACAF Champions League.

As of now, only eight teams remain in the tournament—four from Liga MX and four from MLS.This means the Quarterfinal matches will take place soon. In the first leg of these matches, which are scheduled for this week, we expect the teams to give their all in pursuit of victory, bringing them closer to qualifying for the semifinals.

The eight teams facing each other in this stage of the tournament are:

As we can see, all the teams have had a good season so far, except the LA Galaxy, the reigning MLS champions who don’t seem to be taking off and haven’t even realized that the season has already started.

Here is the preview of the first legs of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, along with their respective betting odds and our free predictions.

CONCACAF Champions League – América x Cruz Azul

This match marks the beginning of a three-game series that both teams will play in two weeks, adding a layer of importance to this Clasico Joven.

Cruz Azul enters the game after winning over Real Hope and Seattle Sounders in previous legs, showing a strong defense and an attacking force led by Angel Sepulveda. On the other hand, the Aguilas, three-time Liga MX champions, head into the match with confidence after a win over Chivas in the round of 16, led by Andre Jardine. Favorites in Liga MX and maintaining a powerful status in the championship, América aims to continue its impressive performance in the Concachampions tournament.

As they meet in the quarterfinals, America is eager to assert its dominance and overtake Cruz Azul in an attempt to fulfill its coach’s ambition to achieve success on the international stage. On the other hand, despite a challenging period in 2025 due to managerial changes, Cruz Azul has found stability once again, with Vicente Sanchez leading them to the top spots in Liga MX.

Before the Quarterfinal match against América, Cruz Azul defeated the Seattle Sounders in a solid performance at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario.

Para esta partida, nossa previsão é de vitória do América por 1 a 0.

América vs. Cruz Azul Betting Pick: América

CONCACAF Champions League – LA Galaxy vs. Tigres

The winner of this matchup will face the winner of the America vs Cruz Azul clash in the semifinals, so a spectacular match is also in store for the next stage.

Under Greg Vanney’s leadership, the Los Angeles team is going through a bad streak in the MLS 2025 Western Conference, as they only obtained two points in the first 15 games and currently occupy the second to last place. Despite their struggles in domestic competition, they have shifted their focus entirely to the CONCACAF Champions League, a tournament they won in 2000. The Galaxy are among three U.S. teams that have won the Concachampions in the past.

On the other hand, Tigres UANL is a recognized Mexican powerhouse with a strong desire to win the championship title. Guido Pizarro’s team has been on the rise since the Argentine took over as coach, excelling in the Liga MX Clausura 2025 and reaching the quarterfinals of the Concachampions after eliminating FC Cincinnati in the previous edition.

Their goal, no doubt, is to replicate their semifinal appearance in the 2023 season. This will be the first leg between these two Concachampionship winners, each with a rich history in international competition that demands they reach the latter stages.

For this match, our prediction is a 2-1 victory for Tigres.

LA Galaxy vs. Tigres Betting Pick: Tigres

CONCACAF Champions League – Whitecaps vs. Pumas

After their match against Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps shifted their focus to the CONCACAF Champions League, where they will face Pumas. As they head into this matchday, Jesper Sørensen’s side boasts an impressive four-game unbeaten streak.

In contrast, Mexico City’s Pumas have shown solid offensive form, finding the back of the net in their last four matches in the CONCACAF CL 2025. History reveals that Vancouver Whitecaps and Gustavo Lema’s Pumas have only met once before, with Pumas holding the advantage with a win against the Whitecaps.

Notably, this upcoming clash will mark the first meeting between these two teams in the CONCACAF Champions League, adding an element of anticipation and unpredictability to the next match.

A truly evenly matched clash is expected, with both teams playing for a draw rather than a win. As a result, our prediction is for a draw on the scoreboard.

Whitecaps vs. Pumas Betting Pick: Draw

CONCACAF Champions League – LAFC x Inter Miami

Inter Miami advanced to this round after defeating Sporting Kansas City 4-1 on aggregate, winning both matches 1-0 and 3-1. They then advanced to the round of 16 by defeating Cavalier FC of Jamaica with a 4-0 aggregate score, securing victory in both matches by a two-goal margin.

Javier Mascherano, coach of Inter Miami, expressed concern about Leo Messi’s physical condition following the team’s 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union over the weekend, where Messi scored a goal. Mascherano mentioned that, if all goes well, Messi will travel with the team for the Concachampions quarterfinal clash against LAFC.

On the other hand, LAFC advanced to the quarterfinals by beating Colorado Rapids in the first round on away goals. Despite losing the first leg 2-1 away, they bounced back to win the second leg 1-0 at home.

In the previous round, they defeated Columbus Crew with a 4-2 aggregate score, winning the first leg 3-0 and narrowly losing the second leg 2-1. LAFC will look to build on their home advantage in the first leg of the Copa dos Campeões da CONCACAF quarterfinals against Inter Miami, a team led by Lionel Messi.

For this match, our winner’s chip is on Inter Miami with a score of 3-1.

LAFC vs. Inter Miami Betting Pick: Inter Miami