Tag: Cucho Hernandez

Cucho Hernandez set to return for Columbus Crew for Concacaf Champions Cup final

Columbus got a major boost Wednesday, as Cucho returned to training just in time to face Pachuca

The Columbus Crew should have a major piece of the puzzle back for Saturday’s Concacaf Champions Cup final.

After three games on the sidelines, Cucho Hernández is set to return for the Crew, who face Pachuca at Estadio Hidalgo.

“The idea is that he going to be available, so he wants to have a good game, and we want that also,” Columbus head coach Wilfried Nancy told reporters during a press conference on Wednesday. “We’re all happy that he’s back, and hopefully he will be able to have a good performance.”

Cucho, the Crew’s leading scorer last season, had missed MLS wins over CF Montréal, the Chicago Fire, and Orlando City with a back injury, but participated in Wednesday’s training session with no apparent issues.

Nancy noted that while the Colombia forward hadn’t been able to train or play in those recent games, he was able to do the altitude training the Crew has undergone to better prepare for this clash with Pachuca. Estadio Hidalgo sits 7,979 feet above sea level, making this one-off final all the more difficult.

The Columbus manager did express a note of caution in discussing Cucho’s status, saying that his side must “find the balance, because when we are so excited to play the game, sometimes you can overplay.” Nancy did not make any declaration over whether Cucho was fit to start a match that could go 120 minutes, or whether he would be kept on the bench at first.

Since joining the Crew in the summer of 2021, Cucho has been arguably the most consistent attacking player in all of MLS. In 67 total appearances, the 25-year-old has 39 goals and 13 assists, functioning as both Columbus’ deadliest goalscorer as well as one of the team’s best chance creators.

In his absence, Nancy has turned to a mix of players including target man Christian Ramirez, attacking midfielder Alexandru Mățan, and winger Marino Hinestroza.

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Wilfried Nancy can’t make the Cucho Hernandez story go away

The superstar forward missed another game on Tuesday due to a team policy violation

Whether Wilfried Nancy likes it or not, the continuing absence of Cucho Hernández will be a story that hangs over the Columbus Crew until there is some kind of a resolution.

Hernández missed his second straight game on Tuesday, as the Crew could only manage a 1-1 draw against Tigres in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal.

It was a disappointing result in a game Columbus controlled for long stretches, and could have really used the services of one of the best players in MLS.

But Cucho was nowhere to be found. After the Colombian sat out Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Nashville SC, Crew head coach Nancy would only say that he had committed some unspecified “team policy” violation.

After the striker missed another match three days later, Nancy strangely seemed incredulous that anyone would dare ask about the absence of one of his best players.

“We just did a game and we’re talking about Cucho, no answer for that,” the Frenchman said in his post-match press conference. “We don’t play tennis, we play football. Football, this is 11 players on the pitch. Be patient, I know this is your job, next question please.”

Cucho’s absence would have been a story regardless, but the coach’s evasiveness is creating a Streisand effect around the entire situation.

The forward’s “team policy” violation seems to have been at least a notch or two above minor. Missing a single league game is one thing, but stretching that absence out to multiple games — including a Concacaf knockout-round match against a regional power — is quite another.

Nancy will continue to be asked about this issue and the longer the forward’s absence stretches, the more questions he’ll get. Next time, he’d be well served to have a more satisfying response.

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