Monterrey moved past its defeat in the 2017 Apertura by winning an international title at home and extending Tigres’ misery in international finals

In the 80th minute of Monterrey’s 1-1 draw with Tigres on Wednesday, the ball went out off a Tigres attacker for a goal kick. Two Rayados defenders turned to the crowd and started to pump them up, urging them to sing louder. 

They didn’t need to be told twice. 

The fans at the Estadio BBVA Bancomer sang like they hadn’t before, with the fans in the ends fervently waving their flags for the final 10 minutes of the contest. Blue and white smoke billowed down from the upper deck. Even when the party could’ve stopped, with Andre-Pierre Gignac scissor-kicking in a phenomenal goal to put Tigres within one goal of tying the aggregate, the fans kept up the noise. 

They had reason to celebrate. Rayados topped their crosstown rival to win the Concacaf Champions League. In the process, they vanquished the frustrating feelings that had came losing a number of finals at home – most notably the first-ever final between them in Tigres a year and a half ago. 

Plenty of the players on the field Wednesday weren’t part of the organization when it lost the first Final Regia to Tigres in December 2017. Many of the most critical performers, including goalkeeper Marcelo Barovero and attacker Rodolfo Pizarro, arrived recently, as did manager Diego Alonso. Yet others, like goalscorer Nicolas Sanchez, forward Rogelio Funes Mori and winger Dorlan Pabon had felt that pain. So too had the fans. They’ve endured the taunts since, about Tigres becoming champion in their home. Their beautiful new stadium seemed cursed.  

Multiple league finals lost there, one against their biggest rival. The Copa MX won a week later meant little. How much did this one mean? You only need to look at the tears Pabon wiped from his eyes after the whistle blew or see Sanchez, bandaged after suffering a head injury during the second half, holding Alonso and whispering in his ear. Or new arrival Layun snagging a flag out of the crowd and waving it in front of the Rayados’ supporters. 

“For the fans, it’s big. I just arrived here recently, but you know when you put on this shirt, there are thousands of fans you represent and you have to respect that,” Barovero said after the match. 

If the first leg was a title fight, the second was a street scrap. There were the literal shoving matches, but Tigres came forward in waves in the second half, only for Rayados’ defenders to deal with their crosses. Barovero got down to stop a header from Gignac that looked destined to cross the line and cut the margins. 

He eventually did find the back of the net with a golazo that left many wondering why he was coming off the bench – like he had in the first leg. He’d missed out on the previous rounds with a knee injury but was fit to go 90 minutes against Monarcas two weeks ago in the league and last weekend against Puebla.

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“For tactical reasons,” was the only quote Tigres manager Tuca Ferretti would offer on the matter Wednesday night.

Those games meant little. This one meant a lot. Ferretti now has three appearances in the CCL final and another Copa Libertadores final appearance. Yet, Tigres never has lifted an international trophy. 

Their own curse has been extended, but Rayados’ has been lifted. They’ve won a final on their home field in front of their fans. Their house is now a home.