Barely a month into the Robert Lewandowski era, Chicago Fire FC already have a trophy in sight as the Leagues Cup 2026 knockout rounds begin this week.
However, the Soccer Gods threw a seriously spicy twist into the Fire’s path to the Sept. 6 final, pitting them against Lewandowski’s de facto predecessor, Hugo Cuypers, for Tuesday’s quarterfinal vs. LIGA MX powerhouse CF Monterrey at SeatGeek Stadium (8:30 pm ET | Apple TV).
“We knew it was always going to be Hugo coming back to Chicago, right? No matter what, with the way fate works out,” head coach Gregg Berhalter told reporters on Monday.
“Hugo’s been great. He’s been great for us. It was great to work with Hugo.”
Familiar faces
Cuypers, the Fire’s club-record signing, was transferred to Monterrey last month shortly after Lewandowski’s blockbuster summer arrival from FC Barcelona, departing with a then-MLS-best 13 goals.
The Belgian striker has since scored four times for Rayados, including in three straight Leagues Cup Phase One games to help his new club secure a quarterfinal berth.
According to Berhalter, Cuypers is just one of several offensive threats – along with former LAFC and Columbus Crew standout Diego Rossi – poised by a Monterrey side led by ex-San Jose Earthquakes coach Matías Almeyda.
“Look at the depth of their attacking pieces. Whether it’s Hugo or Rossi or [Lucas Ocampos] or [Jesús] Corona or [Orbelín] Pineda," he said.
"They have a number of players who can hurt you."
Lewa leads the charge
Of course, Chicago boast a formidable attack of their own, centered around a generational striker in Lewandowski.
The Polish legend has had an immediate impact since debuting in July, scoring four goals in nine appearances across all competitions. That includes the third and final tally in the Fire’s 3-1 win over Santos Laguna, one of three straight victories en route to a perfect Phase One performance.
Now, the stakes will be even higher as Chicago face Monterrey in a win-or-you're-out match.
“It’s an elimination game, it’s a quarterfinal, and you know you’re two games away from a trophy,” Berhalter said. “So I think it adds a different element to it. We respect them [Monterrey], but at the same time we’re gonna have to cause them problems.
“And we can do that.”
Trophy chase
The allure of a trophy holds special significance for the Fire, who have gone 20 years since lifting their last title: the 2006 US Open Cup.
According to defender and academy product Andrew Gutman, Chicago have blossomed into a genuine contender, as evidenced by their third-place standing in the Eastern Conference (36 points) and Leagues Cup campaign.
“We always knew that we could be a top team in this league, both in MLS and Leagues Cup,” Gutman said. “For us, it was [about] starting to actually do things that could show that we could be a top team. Going into Leagues Cup, we made it a goal of ours to go and win this trophy.
“… I know the club hasn’t won a trophy in a long time, so we really wanted to go for it," Gutman added. "We got out of the group, and now it’s time to push on again.”
