"We are the team that has gotten this far, and we are the team the team that will continue all the way through to the end" said Antonio Mohamed after the Millonarios game when questioned whether there would be any new players joining the squad to reinforce the team for the second stage of the Copa Libertadores. But with players like Alfredo Moreno not being able to recuperate from injury it is clear that Xolos are in need of some new blood in the squad; but this was denied by the Liga MX.

According to Mohamed the official paperwork has sent in to bring in a player to reinforce the Tijuana squad, but the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) along with the top division Liga MX denied Xolosnthe opportunity. "El Turco" argued that this player who he did not wish to name was going to stay at Tijuana for the next season anyways, but that the Mexican football authorities said to wait until the summer draft.

"There are a lot of Mexican teams that have concluded their participation in the Liga MX and we wanted to bring in a player that was going to stay with Xolos for the upcoming seasons. But the federation said 'no' and to wait until the Draft (in July)" said Mohamed.

It all indicates that the player Mohamed was referring to is Atlante's Chilean striker Esteban Paredes due to Alfredo Moreno's injury and recovery rate.

As a player Mohamed got to go reinforce the America squad in Copa Libertadores, in 2001 when Cruz Azul reached the final they did it with the help of Toluca's Jose Saturnino Cardozo as well as Sergio Almaguer, and Atlante loaned goalkeeper Federico Vilar to Necaxa for the international competition. "El Turco" just can't understand why they let other teams but not his Tijuana side.

"I only speak the truth so everything is put in the open, so a balance can be made between teams. Why in 2001 they let Cruz Azul and other teams in other years reinforce their squads but not us? questioned Mohamed.

Without reinforcement Xolos will look to make history and knockout the tournament favorites along with all of their stars like Ronaldinho, Jo, Gilberto Silva, just to name a few.

"Our suits are ready"

Antonio Mohamed also criticized the lack of national attention his Xolos squad has received. He argued that while other league champions get invitations by the President to be congratulated, nobody has called Xolos. He also gave the example of Saul "Canelo" Alavarez who wins one fight and gets congratulated by the president. And that they are still waiting on the federation to send them their Golden Ball awards.

"We have our suits ready in Tijuana waiting for the call from the President. The other day "Canelo" won a fight and he got an invitation by the president. We won the league title and no one called us, every other league champion has got presidential invitation except for us. We are also still waiting for those Golden Ball awards from the Mexican federation" "We have our suits ready. Once we get that call we'll put on our tuxedo and go" concluded Mohamed.

said.rodriguez@sandiegored.com

jonny.rico@sandiegored.com