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Cruz Azul square off against Montreal in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.
The hosts overcame Canadian side Forge 4-1 on aggregate in the round of 16 fixtures and face Montreal, a Canadian side that plays in the MLS.
The visitors overturned a 1-0 deficit from the first leg of the round of 16 to secure a 3-1 win on aggregate over Liga MX side Santos Laguna.
In terms of recent form, the hosts have taken a hit in recent fixtures, with two losses in their last three games. Montreal are also winless in their two MLS games so far.
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Cruz Azul vs Montreal Head-to-Head
Though both sides have experience of going against clubs from MLS and Liga MX respectively, this will be the first competitive meeting between the two sides.
Cruz Azul form guide (all competitions): L-D-L-W-W
Montreal form guide (all competitions): L-L-W-L
Cruz Azul vs Montreal Team News
Cruz Azul
The hosts will have three players ruled out of the first leg with injuries. As per the latest reports, Ignacio Rivero and Alejandro Mayorga have recovered from their ailments and are in contention to start here.
Julio César Domínguez, Rómulo Otero, and Christian Tabó remain sidelined with injuries and will have to wait until the second leg to make a difference in the continental competition.
Injured: Julio César Domínguez, Rómulo Otero, Christian Tabó
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Montreal
The visiting side travel to Mexico City with three confirmed absentees. Samuel Piette is out with an ankle injury. Mason Toye is a long-term absentee with a thigh injury, while Ahmed Hamdi is another key absentee with an ankle injury.
Injured: Mason Toye, Ahmed Hamdi, Samuel Piette
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Cruz Azul vs Montreal Predicted XI
Cruz Azul Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): José de Jesús Corona (GK); Alejandro Mayorga, Pablo Aguilar, Luis Abram, Juan Escobar; Érik Lira, Rafael Baca; Uriel Antuna, Santiago Giménez, Carlos Alberto Rodríguez; Bryan Angulo
Montreal Predicted XI (3-4-3): Sebastian Breza (GK); Zachary Brault-Guillard, Joel Waterman, Gabriele Corbo; Rida Zouhir, Mathieu Choinière, Victor Wanyama, Lassi Lappalainen; Joaquin Torres, Romell Quioto, Đorđe Mihailović
Cruz Azul vs Montreal Prediction
The hosts have scored regularly in Liga MX but a win has eluded them in recent outings. Montreal, on the other hand, have conceded four goals and scored just one in two MLS fixtures.
Given the current form of both sides, it is unlikely that the game will have a lot of goals. A low-scoring draw seems to be the likely outcome here.
Prediction: Cruz Azul 1-1 Montreal
