The CONCACAF Champions League was a rare opportunity for Toronto FC. They were not foolish in their desire to prioritise the competition. It was a unique chance for an MLS club to rival the Mexicans, it offered a passage in the Club World Cup, and it would have been a historic achievement, even more so than defending their MLS Cup.
But the risk backfired. They rotated their squad in the early part of the season, they didn’t provide a long enough period of rest during the offseason for many of their players, they sacrificed losses in the opening few months, suffered injuries, and now find themselves in an almighty hole that they will do well to get out of.