# 2016–17 C.D. Motagua season

The 2016–17 season was F.C. Motagua's 70th season in existence and the club's 51st consecutive season in the top fight of Honduran football. The club announced the continuation of Diego Vásquez as the team's head coach for his 4th consecutive season.

## Overview

This season, the club fought for its 14th league and 2nd domestic cup. During the preseason, a new badge was unveiled to be used starting this season. On 2 July, the club's president Eduardo Atala confirmed an exhibition game against current Copa Libertadores winners at that time and South American giants River Plate. The game was played at Orlando, United States.
The Apertura schedule was unveiled on the second week of July and the club decided to return their home games on Sundays afternoon after their last season experiment of playing on Saturdays seeking for better assistances didn't throw the expected results. In week 6, Motagua faced C.D. Social Sol at home; in the 50' minute (0–0), the referee decided to suspend the match due to heavy rain which caused a power outage. The remaining 40 minutes were played the following morning, landing in the club's 88th anniversary. Román Castillo who had lost his younger brother a week prior, decided the match with a late goal at the 90th+5 minute. On 25 September, Motagua had to move its home game against C.D. Honduras Progreso to Catacamas due to a religious event that took place at Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino. This match at Catacamas marked history in the Honduran Liga Nacional as the first game ever officiated by a female referee. On week 17, a 2–2 away tie against Real C.D. España defined Motagua's 4th place in the regular season standings and therefore, a berth to the playoffs phase. Once in the playoffs, Motagua defeated C.D. Marathón away in postseason for the first time since November 1990; however, the access to the semifinals didn't turn out that easy as Motagua had to rely on a late and controversial penalty in the second leg to advance with a 3–3 global score. In the semifinals Motagua faced city rivals Club Deportivo Olimpia for another edition of the Honduran Superclásico, resulting in the fourth time these two teams meet in this stage in the last three years. With a 2–1 aggregated score, Motagua moved on and qualified to their 19th league final in history. On 18 December, Motagua obtained their 14th national championship after defeating Platense F.C. in an unprecedented final. It was also the first time a league title was decided at Puerto Cortés. With the win, the team secured a spot for next season's CONCACAF club competitions.
Motagua started the Clausura tournament playing at Puerto Cortés losing 1–2 against Platense. On 21 January, Motagua traveled to Goascorán to play against Gremio F.C. for the first round of the 2017 Honduran Cup, a competition which ended way too early for Motagua's aspirations as they lost in penalty shootouts against a club that plays in third division. On 8 February, Diego Vásquez broke an all-time Liga Nacional record as the coach with the most number of consecutive games leading a team, totaling 140 games, surpassing Julio González (139 with C.D. Victoria). On 19 February, Motagua suffered their biggest defeat ever in Tocoa in the 0–4 loss to C.D. Real Sociedad. This result also marked the 11th unsuccessful try to obtain a victory at this venue since Real Sociedad's promotion in 2012. On 13 March, the club announced through their social media that Argentinian midfielder Santiago Vergara was being treated in a local health center as he was diagnosed with leukemia. Once in the post-season, Motagua defeated Real España for the first time ever in a semifinal. Despite losing key players from their roster, Motagua was capable of finishing the Clausura tournament with 14 unbeaten games in a row, a performance that resulted in their 15th league championship and a season's double. The Clausura final was played against C.D. Honduras Progreso, which marked their second meeting at this stage in less than two years. Motagua established a record as the largest goal difference in a final's global score (7–1). With the win, the team secured a spot for the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League.
Before the start of the final match against Honduras Progreso, the selling of fake tickets in the black market triggered a chaos among the fans inside and outside the stadium. Those still outside with ticket in hand precipitated towards one of the gates forming a human avalanche that killed 4 people due to asphyxiation.

## Kit

The 2016–17 kits were officially published on 12 July, one day before their friendly meeting against River Plate. Joma stayed as the kits manufacturer for the 17th straight season and Pepsi as the main sponsor. Other sponsors include Claro, Diunsa, Gatorade and Retlan. In April, a special kit allusive to the 14th championship was released to be used for the rest of the season.
| Manufacturer | Manufacturer | Main sponsor | Main sponsor |
| Joma | Joma | Pepsi | Pepsi |
| Home | Away | Alternative | Goalkeeper |

## Players
### Transfers in

| Player | Contract date | Moving from |
| Román Castillo | 1 June 2016 | Correcaminos UAT |
| Arnold Meléndez | 1 June 2016 | Gimnástico |
| Harold Fonseca | 7 June 2016 | Juticalpa |
| Carlos Discua | 8 June 2016 | Alajuelense |
| Martín Pucheta | 8 June 2016 | Deportivo Maipú |
| Marco Vega | 25 June 2016 | Real Sociedad |
| Deybi Flores | 9 August 2016 | Vancouver Whitecaps |
| Jonathan Rougier | 7 January 2017 | Pronunciamiento |

### Transfers out

| Player | Released date | Moving to |
| Néstor Martínez | 19 May 2016 | Platense |
| José Fiallos | 19 May 2016 | TBD |
| Keller Andino | 19 May 2016 | TBD |
| Orlin Peralta | 19 May 2016 | TBD |
| Israel Silva | 25 May 2016 | Marathón |
| Lucas Gómez | 31 May 2016 | Alajuelense |
| Sebastián Portigliatti | 1 June 2016 | Juticalpa |
| Maylor Núñez | 18 July 2016 | Platense |
| Júnior Izaguirre | 20 December 2016 | Retired |
| Deybi Flores | 20 December 2016 | Vancouver Whitecaps |
| Arnold Meléndez | 6 January 2017 | TBD |
| Joshua Nieto | 6 January 2017 | TBD |

### Squad

* Statistics as of 28 May 2017
* Only league matches into account
| No. | Pos. | Player name | Date of birth and age | Games played | Games played | Games played | Goals scored | Goals scored | Goals scored |
| | | | | < 15/16 | 16/17 | T | < 15/16 | 16/17 | T |
| 1 | GK | Harold Fonseca | (1993-10-08)8 October 1993 (aged 22) | 0 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Juan Montes | (1985-10-26)26 October 1985 (aged 30) | 89 | 42 | 131 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 3 | DF | Henry Figueroa | (1992-12-28)28 December 1992 (aged 23) | 98 | 31 | 129 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | DF | Júnior Izaguirre | (1979-08-12)12 August 1979 (aged 36) | 398 | 6 | 404 | 37 | 0 | 37 |
| 5 | DF | Marcelo Pereira | (1995-05-27)27 May 1995 (aged 21) | 22 | 28 | 50 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 6 | MF | Reinieri Mayorquín | (1989-07-13)13 July 1989 (aged 26) | 73 | 37 | 110 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| 7 | MF | Carlos Discua | (1984-09-27)27 September 1984 (aged 31) | 140 | 42 | 182 | 38 | 11 | 49 |
| 8 | MF | Deybi Flores | (1996-06-16)16 June 1996 (aged 20) | 22 | 5 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Román Castillo | (1991-11-26)26 November 1991 (aged 24) | 66 | 32 | 98 | 35 | 18 | 53 |
| 10 | MF | Erick Andino | (1989-07-21)21 July 1989 (aged 26) | 33 | 37 | 70 | 10 | 15 | 25 |
| 11 | FW | Marco Vega | (1987-04-14)14 April 1987 (aged 29) | 0 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| 14 | FW | Irvin Reyna | (1987-06-07)7 June 1987 (aged 29) | 91 | 28 | 119 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 15 | FW | Arnold Meléndez | (1994-08-23)23 August 1994 (aged 21) | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Héctor Castellanos | (1992-12-28)28 December 1992 (aged 23) | 33 | 40 | 73 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | DF | Denil Maldonado | (1998-05-25)25 May 1998 (aged 18) | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | Wilmer Crisanto | (1989-06-24)24 June 1989 (aged 27) | 96 | 36 | 132 | 5 | 7 | 12 |
| 19 | MF | Eli Reyna | (1996-09-11)11 September 1996 (aged 19) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | GK | Jonathan Rougier | (1987-10-29)29 October 1987 (aged 28) | 0 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | Foslyn Grant | (1998-10-04)4 October 1998 (aged 17) | 12 | 4 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | MF | Santiago Vergara | (1991-09-15)15 September 1991 (aged 24) | 41 | 31 | 72 | 8 | 4 | 12 |
| 23 | DF | Martín Pucheta | (1988-02-10)10 February 1988 (aged 28) | 0 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Omar Elvir | (1989-09-28)28 September 1989 (aged 26) | 157 | 41 | 198 | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| 25 | GK | Marlon Licona | (1991-02-09)9 February 1991 (aged 25) | 56 | 11 | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | Henry Güity | (1996-06-24)24 June 1996 (aged 20) | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | Félix Crisanto | (1990-09-09)9 September 1990 (aged 25) | 32 | 32 | 64 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 28 | MF | Joshua Nieto | (1994-09-03)3 September 1994 (aged 21) | 18 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | DF | Klifox Bernárdez | (1997-05-14)14 May 1997 (aged 19) | 2 | 24 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | Marvin Ávila | (2002-03-06)6 March 2002 (aged 14) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | GK | Cristian Hernández | (1996-09-22)22 September 1996 (aged 19) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | FW | Kevin López | (1996-02-03)3 February 1996 (aged 20) | 47 | 22 | 69 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| 35 | DF | Cristopher Meléndez | (1997-11-25)25 November 1997 (aged 18) | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Manager | Manager | Diego Vásquez | (1971-07-03)3 July 1971 (aged 44) | 23 November 2013– | 23 November 2013– | 23 November 2013– | 23 November 2013– | 23 November 2013– | 23 November 2013– |
| RESERVES TEAM ||||||||||
| No. | Pos. | Player name | Date of birth and age | Games played | Games played | Games played | Goals scored | Goals scored | Goals scored |
| | | | | < 15/16 | 16/17 | T | < 15/16 | 16/17 | T |
| 15 | FW | Denilson Castillo | (1998-04-29)29 April 1998 (aged 18) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | MF | Edward Centeno | (1999-08-02)2 August 1999 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | DF | Carlos García | (1998-09-20)20 September 1998 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | DF | Harrinson Bernárdez | (1997-05-14)14 May 1997 (aged 19) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | FW | Juan Pastrana | (2000-08-11)11 August 2000 (aged 15) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | DF | José Murillo | (1998-04-02)2 April 1998 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | MF | Jack Jean Baptiste | (1999-12-20)20 December 1999 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | MF | Carlos Mayorquín | (1998-01-30)30 January 1998 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 43 | MF | Wilmer Sandoval | (1998-01-04)4 January 1998 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | GK | Elin Agurcia | (1999-04-30)30 April 1999 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | MF | Cid Bodden | (1997-03-01)1 March 1997 (aged 19) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 47 | MF | Josué Villafranca | (1999-12-16)16 December 1999 (aged 16) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | DF | Brayan Velásquez | (1998-02-26)26 February 1998 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 49 | FW | Manuel Iglesias | (1999-05-23)23 May 1999 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 50 | MF | Jonathan Galo | (1998-02-10)10 February 1998 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 | MF | Óscar Romero | (1999-02-23)23 February 1999 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 52 | MF | Daniel Hill | (1998-01-24)24 January 1998 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 53 | MF | César Romero | (1999-01-19)19 January 1999 (aged 17) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 54 | DF | Anthony Cervantes | (1997-08-10)10 August 1997 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 55 | MF | Bayron Varela | (2000-07-01)1 July 2000 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 56 | MF | José Canaca | (2000-04-11)11 April 2000 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 57 | MF | Kevin Castro | (1998-10-09)9 October 1998 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 58 | GK | Marcos Torres | (1999-01-26)26 January 1999 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 59 | GK | Hugo Caballero | (1997-01-05)5 January 1997 (aged 19) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 60 | GK | José Rodríguez | (1999-04-01)1 April 1999 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 | MF | Jessell Pineda | (1998-04-05)5 April 1998 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| – | FW | Hodi Bonilla | (1999-03-20)20 March 1999 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| – | FW | Erikxon Fuentes | (1998-02-24)24 February 1998 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Results
### By round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A |
| Result | W | W | D | W | L | W | L | D | W | D | D | D | L | D | L | W | D | W | L | W | D | W | D | D | W | L | W | W | D | D | W | D | W | W | W | D |
| Position | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |

## Statistics

* As of 28 May 2017
| Competition | GP | GW | GD | GL | GS | GC | GD | CS | SG | Per |
| League | 46 | 22 | 17 | 7 | 83 | 54 | +29 | 15 | 4 | 60.14% |
| Cup | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33.33% |
| Others | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 10 | +10 | 2 | 2 | 66.67% |
| Totals | 55 | 27 | 19 | 9 | 104 | 65 | +39 | 17 | 6 | 60.61% |