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On the eve of the Liga MX final, several things have become clear about the next iteration of CONCACAF Champions League. As Mexico City rivals America and Cruz Azul face off, they'll not only decide the Clausura champions but which will go in Pot A and which will go in Pot B in Champions League.
Tijuana, LA Galaxy, and San Jose Earthquakes will be joined in Pot A by the winner of the Liga MX Clausura final. The Clausura runner up will join Toluca, Houston Dynamo, and Sporting Kansas City in Pot B. The US and Mexico teams in Pot B will have to face on of the Central American sides in Pot A. That currently includes Olimpia of Honduras, Comunicaciones of Guatemala, and Arabe Unido of Panama. All three of those sides have seen CONCACAF Champions League time before, Arabe breaking a two year drought.
Club America is a huge get for Champions League, with one of the top two most popular teams in Mexico qualifying for the tournament for the first time.
The winner of the Canadian Championship will get a spot in Pot B. The tournament final is currently awaiting the second leg, with the score 0-0 and the Vancouver Whitecaps hosting the Montreal Impact. Olimpia in Honduras won both tournaments of the 2012-13 season, so Victoria qualifies for a Pot B spot with the best non-champion aggregate record.
Pot C awaits Guatemala's Clausura champion as well as El Salvador's. The Caribbean Championship has already concluded. Old friend Puerto Rico Islanders have currently suspended operations, so joining repeat qualifiers Connection and Caledonia will be Haitian side Valencia.
Old friend Isidro Metapan will qualify as either B or C depending on El Salvador's Clausura champion. That championship is contested between CD FAS and Firpo on Sunday. In Costa Rica, Herediano and Cartagines face off on Saturday to determine whether Alajuelense ends up in Pot A or Pot B.
Currently the only Pot B opponent the LA Galaxy know for sure they could draw in their group is CCL first timer Victoria of Hondruas.