Our Toughest Opponent Ever?

Means Club America, which is trouble you've not known.

Two quick notes.  First I have some family and work plans that are going to make it difficult to keep up with blogging over the next couple of weeks, thus why you're getting this game preview a day early.  If we beat Club America don't be surprised to not see a game recap or preview for the semifinal but I'll do my best.

Second, as really their only move of the transfer window, the Rapids waived Aboubacar Keita today (they also traded an international slot to Atlanta last week).  Keita has been on loan to Bohemians in the Irish league but he was getting less and less playing time as their season went on and they terminated the loan (his last appearance was July 4th).  Its clear at this point that post-injuries Keita isn't a part of Colorado's plans and he may not even have anted to b here.  Moving on is probably best for both parties.

Now, on to the main subject.  On Saturday in LA the Rapids will meet Club America in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals.  America is arguably the best team on the continent and the biggest club we've ever played in a competitive match.  For comparison sake transfermrkt has America's club value at just under 100 million Euros.  A couple of million more than Inter Miami even with the GOAT and almost double LAFC.  Toluca is listed at 72 million Euros.  So this is really a step up for what Colorado has faced in the past.

That said, they needed a late goal and an awful PK call to beat St. Louis, a team the Rapids have handled twice this season.  Like every other team in this competition they're playing on short rest and in their case away from home.  They don't have to travel for this one, having played both their games in SoCal (as Liga MX champion they like Columbus got a bye through the group stage), but that doesn't make it home.  It will be a very pro-CA crowd in Dignity Health Sports Park however.

The Rapids biggest problem is going to be fitness.  This is now their 5th game in 16 days and we aren't a deep team. The backline other than Abubakar has played every minute of those games, as has Bassett.  At some point that amount of work is going to catch up to us.  I don't see a way around it this game though.  We have to start as many of our top players as we can if we're going to get past America.  This is not a spot to throw Anderson or Travis in the deep end, and a midfield of Ronan and Larraz behind Mihailovic won't work.

CA is going to out-possess  us in this game, guaranteed.  It will look like the Toluca game where we'll need to pick our moments to  press and hit on the counter, and the rest of the time we're going to need airtight defense.  Steffen looking like 2018 Steffen will help.

Kickoff on Saturday is at 8pm MT.  The winner gets the winner of LAFC/Seattle also on Saturday (we're on the road if we win).

Prediction: 2-1 loss, goal by Mihailovic.  I know I've doubted the Rapids in two of the last three games and they proved me wrong, but this is a new level for them.  The lack of depth, which has meant lack of rest in this competition, is going to catch up to them eventually and I think it happens Saturday night.  There's no shame in losing to the best team in CONCACAF though.