# 2017–18 F.C. Motagua season

The 2017–18 season was F.C. Motagua's 71st season in existence and the club's 52nd consecutive season in the top fight of Honduran football. As winners of both Apertura and Clausura last season, the club was looking for their 16th and 17th league title. They also competed for the 2017 Honduran Supercup and the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League. No Honduran Cup competition was scheduled from the Federation this season.

## Overview

Coach Diego Vásquez lead the team for his 8th consecutive tournament. Due to the incidents occurred on last season's final match where four people lost their lives, the Discipline Commission decided to ban the Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino for nine games. This implied the entire home schedule for the Apertura regular season. The penalty was later reduced to five games after an appeal. On 1 June, Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho announced in a video through his social media that he would be visiting Honduras in July to play an exhibition match between the contenders of the Honduran Superclásico. It was announced later however, that the match was changed to be played against Real C.D. España instead. Decision taken to avoid a conflict between the two Barra bravas which are known for their fierce and often dangerous rivalry. On 30 July, Ronaldinho played in front of thousands at Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino wearing both teams' jerseys on each half. He generated the two assists that gave a historic 0–2 win to Real España. The game served also as a farewell to Amado Guevara, a club's longtime prominent figure. On 2 August, Motagua defeated C.D. Marathón 2–1 at Estadio Francisco Morazán to obtain the 2017 Honduran Supercup. On 31 December, Uruguayan newspaper Ovación selected the best clubs, the best players and the best coaches in the American leagues for 2017. For Honduras, Motagua, Román Castillo and Diego Vásquez were all chosen
Motagua started the Apertura tournament playing outside Tegucigalpa due to the suspension of their stadium because of the incidents occurred last season. On 9 September, Estadio Emilio Williams Agasse, a newly opened venue in Choluteca, hosted a league match for the first time in the 1–1 against Olimpia, in another edition of the Superclásico. On 23 November, the club finished in second position and advanced directly to the semifinals. Once in the semifinals, the club faced city neighbors Olimpia, being the 11th time in league history that these two meet at this stage. With a 3–3 aggregate score, Motagua advanced thanks to their better regular season record over Olimpia. The final series were played against Real España and the club failed in obtaining their third straight league title.
In the Clausura tournament, Motagua started with an away victory against Lobos UPNFM at Estadio Emilio Williams Agasse. Just like in the Apertura, Motagua had to play their first couple of games outside their ground; this time because of the events taking place at Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino for the new presidential term. On 28 March, the Argentinian midfielder Santiago Vergara died from leukemia at the age of 26. After completing the 18 regular season rounds, the team finished 2nd and qualified directly to the semifinals for their 8th consecutive time and their 26th overall. In the semifinals, the team faced city neighbors Olimpia for another Honduran Superclásico meeting. Motagua, once again, managed to eliminate their bitter rivals and advanced to their 4th consecutive final for the first time in their league history. On 19 May, after a 1–1 aggregate score against C.D. Marathón, the championship had to be decided in penalty shoot-outs. Marcelo Pereira and Reinieri Mayorquín missed their chances and the club lost the title. With two finals reached in the 2017–18 season, Motagua qualified to the 2018 CONCACAF League.

## Kits

The 2017–18 home, away and third kits were published on 22 July.
| Manufacturer | Manufacturer | Main sponsor | Main sponsor |
| Joma | Joma | Pepsi | Pepsi |
| Home | Away | Alternative | Goalkeeper |

## Players
### Transfers in

| Player | Contract date | Moving from |
| Walter Martínez | 15 June 2017 | Marathón |
| Eddie Hernández | 26 June 2017 | Deportes Tolima |
| Deybi Flores | 26 June 2017 | Vancouver Whitecaps |
| Raúl Santos | 6 July 2017 | Vida |
| Germán Mayenfisch | 12 January 2018 | Deportivo Mandiyú |
| Javier Estupiñán | 16 January 2018 | Olimpia |

### Transfers out

| Player | Released date | Moving to |
| Santiago Vergara | 28 May 2017 | Hiatus |
| Martín Pucheta | 19 June 2017 | San Lorenzo |
| Irvin Reyna | 29 June 2017 | UPNFM |
| Cristian Hernández | 7 July 2017 | Valle |
| Maylor Núñez | 2 January 2018 | Valle |
| Henry Güity | 2 January 2018 | Valle |
| Eddie Hernández | 8 January 2018 | Irtysh Pavlodar |
| Marlon Licona | 12 January 2018 | Honduras Progreso |

### Squad

* Statistics as of 19 May 2018
* 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 |
| | | | | < 16/17 | 17/18 | Total | < 16/17 | 17/18 | Total |
| 1 | GK | Harold Fonseca | (1993-10-08)8 October 1993 (aged 23) | 16 | 7 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Juan Montes | (1985-10-26)26 October 1985 (aged 31) | 131 | 43 | 174 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| 3 | DF | Henry Figueroa | (1992-12-28)28 December 1992 (aged 24) | 129 | 30 | 159 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | DF | Marcelo Pereira | (1995-05-27)27 May 1995 (aged 22) | 50 | 22 | 72 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 6 | MF | Reinieri Mayorquín | (1989-07-13)13 July 1989 (aged 27) | 110 | 36 | 146 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| 7 | MF | Carlos Discua | (1984-09-27)27 September 1984 (aged 32) | 182 | 39 | 221 | 49 | 3 | 52 |
| 8 | FW | Walter Martínez | (1991-03-26)26 March 1991 (aged 26) | 0 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | FW | Román Castillo | (1991-11-26)26 November 1991 (aged 25) | 98 | 40 | 138 | 53 | 23 | 76 |
| 10 | MF | Erick Andino | (1989-07-21)21 July 1989 (aged 27) | 70 | 26 | 96 | 25 | 1 | 26 |
| 11 | FW | Marco Vega | (1987-04-14)14 April 1987 (aged 30) | 37 | 33 | 70 | 8 | 7 | 15 |
| 12 | MF | Raúl Santos | (1992-08-02)2 August 1992 (aged 24) | 0 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | Eddie Hernández | (1991-02-27)27 February 1991 (aged 26) | 53 | 10 | 63 | 18 | 5 | 23 |
| 14 | MF | Germán Mayenfisch | (1993-07-05)5 July 1993 (aged 23) | 0 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | Denilson Castillo | (1998-04-29)29 April 1998 (aged 19) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Héctor Castellanos | (1992-12-28)28 December 1992 (aged 24) | 73 | 35 | 108 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | MF | Denil Maldonado | (1998-05-25)25 May 1998 (aged 19) | 4 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | Wilmer Crisanto | (1989-06-24)24 June 1989 (aged 28) | 132 | 39 | 171 | 12 | 4 | 16 |
| 19 | GK | Jonathan Rougier | (1987-10-29)29 October 1987 (aged 29) | 20 | 35 | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | Foslyn Grant | (1998-10-04)4 October 1998 (aged 18) | 16 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | FW | Javier Estupiñán | (1984-02-08)8 February 1984 (aged 33) | 0 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 23 | MF | Deybi Flores | (1996-06-16)16 June 1996 (aged 21) | 27 | 13 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Omar Elvir | (1989-09-28)28 September 1989 (aged 27) | 198 | 22 | 220 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| 25 | GK | Marlon Licona | (1991-02-09)9 February 1991 (aged 26) | 67 | 3 | 70 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | Harrinson Bernárdez | (1997-05-14)14 May 1997 (aged 20) | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | Félix Crisanto | (1990-09-09)9 September 1990 (aged 26) | 64 | 35 | 99 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 28 | MF | Kevin Castro | (1998-10-09)9 October 1998 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | Edgardo Meléndez | (1993-09-11)11 September 1993 (aged 23) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | MF | Henry Güity | (1996-06-24)24 June 1996 (aged 21) | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | DF | Klifox Bernárdez | (1997-05-14)14 May 1997 (aged 20) | 26 | 13 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | DF | Maylor Núñez | (1996-07-05)5 July 1996 (aged 20) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | FW | Kevin López | (1996-02-03)3 February 1996 (aged 21) | 69 | 16 | 85 | 10 | 2 | 12 |
| 35 | DF | Cristopher Meléndez | (1997-11-25)25 November 1997 (aged 19) | 7 | 8 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Manager | Manager | Diego Vásquez | (1971-07-03)3 July 1971 (aged 45) | 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 |
| | | | | < 16/17 | 17/18 | T | < 16/17 | 17/18 | T |
| 36 | DF | Roy Rodríguez | (2000-04-08)8 April 2000 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | MF | Óscar Romero | (1999-02-23)23 February 1999 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | MF | Marvin Ávila | (2002-03-09)9 March 2002 (aged 15) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | FW | Ángel Barrios | (2000-10-27)27 October 2000 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | DF | Melker Félix | (2000-06-20)20 June 2000 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | MF | Jack Baptiste | (1999-12-20)20 December 1999 (aged 17) | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | DF | Deban López | (1998-10-03)3 October 1998 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 43 | MF | Mario Arguijo | (1999-03-31)31 March 1999 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | DF | Albert Galindo | (2000-10-21)21 October 2000 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | MF | Jessem Ortega | (1999-02-16)16 February 1999 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | MF | Omar Canales | (1999-09-02)2 September 1999 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 47 | FW | Josué Villafranca | (1999-12-16)16 December 1999 (aged 17) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | FW | Asaf Cacho | (2000-07-27)27 July 2000 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 49 | MF | Juan Gómez | (2000-04-03)3 April 2000 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 50 | MF | Jonathan Galo | (1998-02-10)10 February 1998 (aged 19) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 | FW | Erick Gonzales | (2001-05-23)23 May 2001 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 52 | MF | Kevin Escoto | (1999-06-20)20 June 1999 (aged 18) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 53 | MF | César Romero | (1999-01-19)19 January 1999 (aged 18) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 54 | MF | Everson López | (2000-11-03)3 November 2000 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 55 | MF | Bayron Varela | (2000-07-01)1 July 2000 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 56 | MF | Francisco Paz | (2001-03-14)14 March 2001 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 57 | MF | Jonathan Núñez | (2001-11-26)26 November 2001 (aged 15) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 58 | FW | Kenneth Martínez | (2000-02-26)26 February 2000 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 59 | GK | Axell Bonilla | (2000-01-10)10 January 2000 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 60 | GK | Alex Rivera | (2000-07-20)20 July 2000 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 | MF | Allan Villalta | (1999-10-22)22 October 1999 (aged 17) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 62 | MF | Fernando Castillo | (2000-12-18)18 December 2000 (aged 16) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 63 | MF | Bayron Arzú | (1998-02-10)10 February 1998 (aged 19) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### Goalkeeper's action

* As of 19 May 2018
| Goalkeeper | Years evaluated | Games | Goals | Per. |
| Jonathan Rougier | 2017–2018 | 55 | 57 | 1.036 |
| Harold Fonseca | 2011–2015, 2016–2018 | 23 | 28 | 1.217 |
| Marlon Licona | 2010–2017 | 70 | 86 | 1.229 |
| Wilmer Crisanto (emergent) | 2018 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 |

## Results

All times are local CST unless stated otherwise

### 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 | H | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A |
| Result | D | D | W | W | D | D | W | L | D | W | W | W | W | D | L | L | W | W | W | W | D | W | D | D | W | W | W | W | D | L | W | L | L | L | W | W |
| Position | 4 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |

## Statistics

* As of 19 May 2018
| Competition | GP | GW | GD | GL | GS | GC | GD | CS | SG | Per |
| League | 44 | 21 | 14 | 9 | 67 | 46 | +21 | 16 | 8 | 58.33% |
| Supercup | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
| Champions League | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | –1 | 0 | 1 | 16.67% |
| Others | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 10 | +9 | 4 | 4 | 55.56% |
| Totals | 56 | 26 | 18 | 12 | 89 | 59 | +30 | 20 | 13 | 57.14% |