La Franja are looking to put their poor league form behind them and make their mark at Leagues Cup 2023, which kicks off on July 21. Club Puebla will make their debut on Sunday, July 23 against **Minnesota United FC** and Mexican coach Eduardo Arce will have something of a selection headache before the game. While there are experienced players such as Argentine Federico Mancuello, there is also a lack of youth in the team, and the average age is over 27 years old.
Club Puebla take to the field in Leagues Cup 2023 on Sunday, July 23 at Allianz Field at 21:00 hrs ET (19:00 hrs CDMX). Their next match will be against **Chicago Fire FC** at SeatGeek Stadium at 20.30 hrs ET (18.30 hrs CDMX), at which point a spot in the knockouts will be on the line.
How are Club Puebla looking going into Leagues Cup 2023?
Club Puebla finished 11th in the LIGA MX Clausura 2023 table. In the playoffs, they were eliminated against the team that would go on to be crowned champion weeks later, in Club Tigres (1-0). After a middling season, the team started their LIGA MX Apertura 2023 campaign with two defeats and one draw, and will seek to improve their performances in Leagues Cup 2023.
Eduardo Arce, a 34-year-old Mexican coach, took over as head coach of the first team in November of 2022. He was previously in charge of Club Puebla’s U20 side, where he oversaw 17 games, winning five, drawing seven and losing only five.
Much of the expectation surrounding Club Puebla revolves around Arce's tactical nous, and how the more experienced members of the squad can connect with their promising youngsters.
Ángel Robles, Club Puebla's most promising player
The average age of the Club Puebla squad is over 27 years old. Although most of the players are experienced, forward Ángel Robles is only 21 years old and is able to make a difference with the quality of his play. He was born on November 18, 2001 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He came through the youth ranks and broke into the first team earlier this year. At the dawn of this Apertura 2023 campaign, he earned a spot in the starting eleven in the first two matches. He registered an assist, but was unable to prevent his team from losing both games.
Mancuello, the experienced Argentine
Federico Mancuello came through the youth teams at Independiente de Avellaneda (Argentina), the club where he made his senior debut. He then plied his trade in Brazilian soccer for Flamengo and Cruzeiro. He also turned out for Toluca in Mexico, before a brief spell back in Argentina with Velez. He arrived at Club Puebla in 2022 where he consolidated himself as one of the stars of the team. Even at 34 years of age, he is one of the main players in the team's offense.
In the two Apertura 2023 games so far, Mancuello played a part in two of the team's goals: he scored one and assisted the other, and the other he assisted. Can Mancuello and his teammates turn the club’s form around in Leagues Cup 2023?
