Club América secured its first win of the Clausura 2026, beating Necaxa 2-0, during a week of player departures including Álvaro Fidalgo and Allan Saint-Maximin. Fidalgo heads to Real Betis, while Saint-Maximin exits due to racism incidents against his children. Raphael Veiga arrived in Mexico to bolster the team.
Jornada 4 of the Clausura 2026 was turbulent for Club América, facing multiple squad changes but responding with a 2-0 victory over Necaxa at Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes. Brian Rodríguez opened the scoring in the 35th minute with a shot from outside the area, followed by Víctor Dávila's goal at the 38th, in a first half that ended with Necaxa's Kevin Gutiérrez being sent off.
In the second half, América controlled the game and gave minutes to players like Henry Martín, who nearly scored with a bicycle kick. This marked the Águilas' first win and goals of the tournament, calming a complicated week. Álvaro Fidalgo was not called up to avoid injuries, confirming his departure to Real Betis in Spain; the naturalized Mexican midfielder seeks a comeback in La Liga, with the transfer expected before the market closes on February 2.
Allan Saint-Maximin also officially left the club after reporting racism against his children at a Mexico City school. He signed in August 2025 with a contract until June 2027 but played only 15 games with 3 goals and 2 assists. América showed support with an anti-racism banner at the match and bid farewell on social media: "Muchas gracias por haber portado nuestros colores, Allan Saint-Maximin. ¡Te deseamos mucho éxito en tus futuros proyectos!".
These exits could complicate deals, such as Rodrigo Aguirre's potential move to Tigres, affecting squad balance. In contrast, Brazilian midfielder Raphael Veiga arrived at Mexico City's International Airport at 3:15 p.m., stating: “Muy contento, muy feliz”. He watched the match from the stands and is set to sign after medical exams on Sunday, before obtaining his work visa.
Now, América turns its focus to the Concacaf Champions Cup, aiming to end a 10-year drought without an international title.
