Santos Laguna goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo revealed he looks up to Liga MX and El Tri figure Guillermo Ochoa, adding ‘I know what he represents to Mexican football, and to myself as a fan’.
Acevedo has faced the Club America goalkeeper on several occasions in Liga MX, but only recently began interacting with Ochoa on a national team setting.
The Santos Laguna only debuted with El Tri on December 8, 2021, become a keen option as third-choice goalkeeper for head coach Gerardo Martino in just under a year. But despite the limited timeline, Ochoa has already become a source of inspiration and guidance for Acevedo.
“I didn’t know him previously, and I’ve only recently been called up a few times to the Mexican national team where I met him. The reality is he surprised me, because he’s an excellent person and human being. From the first moment that I had contact with him, he gave me words of support, with motivation and humility,” he said exclusively to 90min.
“I know what he represents to Mexican football, and to myself. At the time as a fan, I watched him play. I am very happy to know him, and receive those comments from him.”
The two goalkeepers will likely work together in the coming weeks ahead of the World Cup, as Mexico hosts Peru and Columbia in California to prepare for the tournament. But for now, Acevedo and Ochoa will go head to head on Wednesday as Club America hosts Santos Laguna at the Azteca Stadium. It will be a fierce clash, with the two sides competing to retain their top four slot on the 2022 Liga MX Apertura table.
The Mexico City side currently leads the table with 31 points and a nine-match winning streak, while the Torreon team sit on the cusp in fourth with a record of 8W-4L-2D.
With only four regular-season games remaining, both teams have all to play for.