Club América forgets all about Alejandro Zendejas thanks to new dynamic duo

After weeks of anticipation, Club América fans finally got to see the pairing they’d been waiting for. With Alejandro Zendejas sidelined - along with several others including Sánchez, Dávila, and Henry Martín - head coach André Jardine gave Brian “Rayito” Rodríguez and new signing Allan Saint-Maximin their first start together. Puebla was both the victim and the witness to what could become one of Liga MX’s most dynamic attacking duos.

Brian Rodríguez “excited” by Saint-Maximin link-up

Speaking with TUDN after the match, Rodríguez praised the chemistry he felt playing alongside the Frenchman. While Saint-Maximin is best known for operating out wide, his partnership with Rodríguez required both to adjust positions, particularly on the right flank, normally Zendejas’ territory.

“Obviously there was a lot of excitement about playing with Maxi,” Rodríguez said. “I’d already watched him at Newcastle and knew the kind of player he is, his potential, and how much he can help us. When you have a player like that, you just want to see him out there. Sometimes the coach has his reasons, and you respect that, he can’t put everyone on the attack at once. But we’ll find a way to be on the field together, and I’ll be very happy to play with him.”

Building chemistry

Rodríguez admitted their connection still needs time but said he’s confident it will come naturally. “Against Puebla, it was clear we’re still missing a bit of that feeling for each other’s movements, but that comes with time,” he explained. “We’ve talked a lot. He’s a guy who communicates, who cares about his teammates. We’ve helped him a lot with the city, where to live, and we talk about how to find each other on the field. He likes to come from deep, and he’s said he doesn’t enjoy playing out wide. That’s exciting for us.”

Could Brian, Maxi, and Zendejas play together?

Saint-Maximin’s admission that he prefers not to play on the wing opens up intriguing possibilities once Zendejas returns. Jardine could, in theory, keep Zendejas on the right and Rodríguez on the left while sliding Saint-Maximin into a central attacking role as a No. 10 or second striker.

For now, fans will have to wait to see if that experiment takes shape, but Rodríguez’s comments make one thing clear - he sees his partnership with Saint-Maximin as the future of América’s attack.

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