The president of Grupo Pachuca and majority shareholder of the Mexican club Pachuca, Jesús Martínez, stated this Tuesday that the Intercontinental Cup final against Real Madrid on Wednesday is a match that the Mexican club has "always dreamed of."

"I have great respect and affection for Florentino Pérez and Emilio Butragueño, who is like a brother to us. It’s an honor to play against them in this final. This Wednesday’s match is the most important in the history of Club Pachuca," Jesús Martínez said from the Mexican city of Pachuca, located in the state of Hidalgo.

Pachuca’s Path to the Final

Pachuca, champions of Concacaf, earned their spot in this Wednesday’s final after defeating Botafogo, the Copa Libertadores champions, in the quarterfinals, and Al Ahly, the African champions, in the semifinals. The latter was decided by a penalty shootout, a tense moment that Jesús Martínez lived through with prayers and "a lot of faith," even when the Mexican team missed their first two penalties.

"Can we beat Madrid? Let’s be realistic, Real Madrid is a powerhouse, a team with individual players who can win a match at any moment. That’s what happened in the Champions League and in the La Liga. They have players with a lot of weight, not to mention the fighting spirit they’ve always had," said Jesús Martínez about the final match on Wednesday in Doha.

Pachuca’s Future in the Club World Cup

In addition, Pachuca will also face Real Madrid in the group stage of the new FIFA Club World Cup to be held in 2025, a competition featuring 32 teams from around the world. For Jesús Martínez, this tournament "will be a total success."ç

Jesús Martínez, who will follow the final from Mexico due to schedule conflicts, heads a conglomerate that also includes Club León, Everton de Chile, and Real Oviedo from Spain, which is currently fighting for promotion to the top division.