The Bravos are looking to get back on track in Liga MX, after a season in which they failed to qualify for the Liguilla playoff stage. Avilés Hurtado and Sebastián Pérez Bouquet are seen as the key players in the roster as they look to go far in this year’s Leagues Cup.
FC Juárez is one of the youngest franchises in Liga MX. The Bravos make up the East 1 pool in this year’s Leagues Cup, along with Mazatlán FC and Austin FC. Diego Mejía's team will debut in the tournament in Austin at the Q2 Stadium, at 8:30 p.m. local time and 7:30 p.m. in Juárez, against Mazatlán. Meanwhile, their last match, on July 29, will be against the home team, at 7:30 p.m. in Texas and at 6:30 p.m. in Juárez.
How are FC Juárez looking going into their Leagues Cup games?
The Bravos hail from the state of Chihuahua, and were founded in 2015. They go into this year’s Leagues Cup in search of a return to form, after a Clausura 2023 in which they failed to qualify for the playoffs. FC Juárez made the headlines at the start of the current season with an away win over Club América, 2-1, and drawing with the champions Tigres, 1-1.
In the recent transfer market, the northern Mexican team sought to improve their squad for a season in which it will try to be a major player in domestic action, as well as in Leagues Cup play.
The experienced Colombian Avilés Hurtado, who recently arrived from CF Pachuca, is looking to become the face of the Bravo attack, while the young Ángel Zapata is emerging as one of the young talents to keep an eye on in the tournament, which will start on 21 July.
Avilés Hurtado, FC Juárez's attacking recruit
Avilés Hurtado, who is 36 years of age, is a veteran of Mexican soccer. The Colombian arrived in North America in 2013 from his country's Atlético Nacional. After playing for Pachuca, Monterrey, Chiapas FC and Club Tijuana, the striker has 74 goals in 358 games.
With his experience as his main attribute, the striker has FC Juárez fans dreaming big. The forward started the first two games of the season for the Diego Mejía-led side.
Ángel Zapata, a young prospect with big ambitions
The 22-year-old Ángel Zapata joined FC Juárez this summer after playing for Monterrey’s Raya2 Expansión team. After coming through the youth ranks with the Rayados, the player joined the Bravos with the intention of establishing himself in Liga MX. He wasted no time in making his mark. In his debut against Club América at the Azteca, he scored the winning goal that sealed his team's surprise 2-1 victory on the opening day of the campaign.
On the second matchday, against champions Tigres UANL, the midfielder started on the bench and came on in the second half. In a short space of time, the Saltillo-born midfielder has emerged as one of the young talents for fans to keep an eye on at this year’s Leagues Cup.
