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Liga MX: ‘El Flaco’ Tena and the state of the Chivas at the break

By Thomas Buckley

Luis Fernando Tena had the Chivas poised to end a five-season playoff drought when the Clausura 2020 was suspended. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images)
Luis Fernando Tena had the Chivas poised to end a five-season playoff drought when the Clausura 2020 was suspended. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images) /
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Chivas Tena
Matías Almeyda is a Chivas legend after guiding the club to its most recent championship. Here he hoists the Clausura 2017 trophy after Guadalajara defeated the Tigres in the Final. (Photo by Refugio Ruiz/LatinContent via Getty Images) /

Almeyda leads the ‘Sacred Flock’ out of the wilderness

Chivas fans have been taken on a roller-coaster ride over the past decade. In February 2016, Fox Sports described the club thusly: “The past couple of years have transformed this proud institution into a punch line and turned the club into a relegation contender.”

Argentine coach Matías Almeyda was early in his second season in charge, tasked with saving Guadalajara from demotion, an indignity the club has never experienced. Just the season before, “El Pelado” led the Chivas to the Copa MX title, its first Copa trophy in 35 years and its first title of any kind in nine years.

Despite this, the Chivas did not carry any momentum into the Clausura 2016, failing to win any of their first 8 matches (0-6-2). But then something clicked and Guadalajara went 7-1-1 down the stretch to finish in fifth place. The fact that the Chivas were eliminated in the quarterfinals by América was a bitter pill, but it was obvious that Almeyda was building something special.

One year later, the “Sacred Flock” was parading around Estadio Chivas with the Liga MX trophy and “El Pelado” was a legend. The league title came just over five weeks after the Chivas had claimed another Copa MX title, only the second time in the club’s storied history that they had earned a double.

These new glory days did not last. Soon enough, “El Pelado” was at odds with controversial general manager José Luis Higuera, fighting over personnel decisions and the feisty Argentina refused to sign a new contract. Higuera proved to have little skill at assembling a roster and after the Chivas stumbled to a 3-6-8 record to finish the Clausura 2018 in 17th place, “El Pelado” left the club.

Since winning the Liga MX title during the Clausura 2017 season, the Chivas have missed the playoffs in five consecutive seasons. José Cardozo succeeded Almeyda but lasted only 42 games. Tomás Boy came next, surviving only 16 games in charge. Then came “El Flaco” Tena.

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