After a tough road trip last week, Chivas USA sets aside MLS play until July 11 to focus on SuperLiga 2009. Tournament play begins on Saturday as the Red-and-White battle Mexico's Tigres UANL at The Home Depot Center. SuperLiga takes on special significance for Chivas USA stars Eduardo Lillingston, Mariano Trujillo and Claudio Suarez. The three Mexican league alumni relish the opportunity to take on some familiar foes on U.S. soil.

"It's special for us because we've played against these teams a number of times before," Trujillo said. "Of course there's always a rivalry between the U.S. and Mexico, but for now I'm playing in the U.S. and am excited to get a win against the Mexican teams and advance in the tournament." Said Lillngston: "[SuperLiga] is a great opportunity to show the strength of both leagues. For us, it's a great chance to show that [MLS] continues to get better and to grow."

Trujillo spent 12 years in the Mexican first division before coming to MLS at the start of this year. He spent the 2001 season with Santos Laguna, a team Chivas USA could face if it advances out of the group stage. Lillingston, another 12-year veteran of Mexico's top flight, has spent time with three of the four Mexican teams in SuperLiga. The striker started at Santos Laguna in 1999, moved to Atlas for the first half of 2000, and then played for Tigres UANL in 2001. And Suarez played for Tigres UANL from 1999-2005.