— Hugo Cuypers returned to Chicago on Tuesday with CF Monterrey for a Leagues Cup quarterfinal against the Fire, 33 days after he joined Monterrey. Only one team will advance to next week’s semifinals, turning his quick return into a direct knockout against his former club.
Chicago and Monterrey
Cuypers left Chicago in July after handing in a transfer request, then was unveiled as a CF Monterrey player 33 days before the match. He had been leading the league in goals when he left, and his return gives Chicago and CF Monterrey a meeting shaped by a transfer that moved from front-office decision to playoff stakes in little more than a month.
Last October, Cuypers scored twice at SeatGeek Stadium to give the Fire their first playoff win in 16 years. That history gives Tuesday’s match a sharper edge for Chicago, which now has to face the same forward in a Leagues Cup elimination game rather than in a regular-season setting.
Robert Lewandowski and Cuypers
Cuypers had publicly welcomed Robert Lewandowski’s arrival and switched to #99 to make room for him. Chicago had also been preparing for a two-striker setup with Cuypers and Robert Lewandowski, before the transfer request changed the plan and sent Cuypers to Monterrey.
Earlier this month, Cuypers told Apple TV, “I think everybody knows the situation in Chicago with Robert arriving,” and added, “I think there was a scenario where everything was working out well, and we could have played together, but there was also a scenario where he would have been the main guy in the short or medium term.” He said, “I didn’t want to take that risk.”
That choice left Chicago with Lewandowski at the center of its attacking plans while Cuypers entered the match in Monterrey colors. Monterrey staff told local media on Monday that Cuypers would not be available to answer questions ahead of his return, limiting the public window into how he views the matchup from the other side.
Gregg Berhalter on Hugo Cuypers
Gregg Berhalter kept the tone respectful on Monday, saying, “We knew it was always going to be Hugo coming back to Chicago, right?” He added, “No matter what, with the way fate works out. But Hugo’s been great. He was great for us. It was great to work with Hugo.”
Berhalter also said, “I think I shared many times openly about our relationship, how good it was, and how much he meant to us as a coaching staff. So it’ll be nice to welcome him back.” For Chicago, the immediate issue is simple: stop a former striker who once carried the club’s attack and send the match to next week’s semifinals.
