If not for the Covid-10 pandemic, we’d be gearing up for a glorious weekend of Liga MX football.
A double dose of Liga MX Classics would have made Matchday 14 arguably the biggest weekend of the Clausura 2020. Saturday’s highlight would have been the Clásico Regiomontano with the Super Clásico set to bring down the curtain on Sunday night. Alas, we can only dream.
Some luster would have been missing from the Tigres-Monterrey match because of the Rayados winless start to the season (0-5-5), but the Chivas-América clash promised to be a can’t-miss contest as both clubs were in the Top 5 when the league suspended play on March 15.
The game at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara would have been the 154th regular-season Super Clásico and a chance for the Chivas to prove they were contenders again after missing the Liguilla each of the past five seasons.
América is in fourth place at the break, but the injury-riddled Aguilas had lost two out of its last three with a 3-3 draw in between. The Chivas, on the other hand, were on a four-game unbeaten streak to climb from 13th place into fifth.
Playing at home, Guadalajara would have been eager to erase the bad taste left in their mouth from the previous Super Clásico, a 4-1 rout in Estadio Azteca in Luis Fernando Tena’s first game as head coach of the Chivas.
América youngster Sebastián Córdova scored twice before the half, but the game took an ugly turn in minute 36 when Chivas defender Alejandro Briseño cut down Gio dos Santos with a studs up tackle that left a nasty gash on dos Santos’ right thigh. “El Pollo” was rightfully sent off and Gio was taken to the hospital.
Guadalajara actually made a comeback bid early in the second half when Alan Pulido narrowed the gap to 2-1 but video replay-assisted penalty (and another red card for the Chivas) slammed the door on the visitors. Ema Aguilera converted the spot-kick and Henry Martín scored late on a nifty scissors-kick in traffic to close the book.
So, with no National Derby to entertain us this weekend, it’s a good time to look back at previous Clásico de Clásicos. No doubt the most scandalous Super Clásico was the May 22, 1983, battle royale at Estadio Azteca.
Just two days after Mexico was awarded the 1986 World Cup (in substitution for Colombia), the underdog Chivas visited No. 1 seeded América in the second leg of the semifinals staring down a 2-1 deficit.
The game was rough from the outset, elbows were flying and nobody was shy about misplacing a boot to a shin. Ref Edgardo Codesal rapidly lost control of the game despite dispensing three red cards during the first half. A mini-brawl resulted in an expulsion per side, and later América defender Armando Manzo was sent to the showers.
The match took a weird turn just before the break when a group of parachutists landed on the field. They’d been scheduled to land at halftime, but the fracas had delayed the game by 10 minutes and they descended onto the pitch with the game going on.
The Chivas led 2-0 at the half (goals by “Snoopy Pérez and Demetrio Madero) and the physical play continued. When Samuel Rivas blasted home from 20 meters in minute 89, Guadalajara led 4-2 on aggregate … and then all hell broke loose.
Roberto Gómez Junco taunted the América bench after the goal and the Aguilas reacted en masse. Complete mayhem ensued; punches and flying kicks were on full display, a water bucket was used to knock Rivas out cold. Estefano Rodríguez asked a policeman if he was a Chivas fan and when he said “yes” the Guadalajara goalie borrowed his night-stick and whacked a few rivals.
Ref Codesal (the same man in black who infuriated Maradona and Argentina by awarding a late penalty to Germany in the 1990 World Cup Final) eventually blew his whistle and called the match. The result was 16 red cards for players and 10 team officials subjected to punishment.
The Chivas advanced to the Final against Puebla, but were left woefully short-handed due to the suspensions, and the Camoteros claimed the 1982-83 league trophy, their first ever.