Crew's Wilfried Nancy shares thoughts on Whitecaps getting sick following CONCACAF final
Over a year removed from the CONCACAF Champions Cup final, where nearly the entire Crew lineup dealt with food poisoning, Wilfried Nancy is reiterating his stance from last June: The final should be played at a neutral site.
This season, the Crew were eliminated in the Champions Cup round of 16, falling to Los Angeles FC. MLS' Vancouver Whitecaps, meanwhile, had a remarkable run in the tournament.
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However, once the Whitecaps reached the final and faced Liga MX's Cruz Azul on the road in Mexico City, they fell 5-0.
Jun 1, 2024; Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico; Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy reacts after the match against CF Pachuca in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup Championship at Estadio Hidalgo. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports
Since then, the Whitecaps have revealed that "a significant number" of players and staff had started to feel sick with a stomach illness after the game.
"I'm sad for Vancouver," Nancy said. "But it's been twice now. So, maybe last year people could have said that I was a bad loser, but no. It's a fact."
The Crew's experience was slightly different from the Whitecaps, with Nancy and players expressing that the team started felling sick before taking the field at Estadio Hidalgo in Pachuca, Mexico. Columbus was defeated 3-0 by CF Pachuca in the final.
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Frustrated by the situation, Nancy was adamant that the tournament final should be played on neutral ground, rather than having the team with the highest tournament standing host.
With history repeating itself, Nancy feels his argument is only stronger.
"I hope that this is enough fact for people to (consider) if it's possible to do something different," Nancy said. "If they're able to beat us three, four, five to zero, that is no problem, but can we play it on a neutral pitch? ... This is so difficult to control, so I'm not surprised this is the reality."
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The Crew (7-3-7) are set to face the Whitecaps (10-1-5) in regular-season play on June 14 at Lower.com Field. This marks the Crew's first game since their 5-1 loss to Inter Miami on May 31.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Nancy talks Crew, Whitecaps sickness at CONCACAF Champions Cup final
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