Liga MX playoffs: Monterrey in Sunday spotlight

Liga MX Hot Stove League heats up as playoffs kick off

Some teams aren’t wasting any time to get ready for the Clausura 2021, including a few that are still competing for the Guardianes 2020 trophy.

Among the most active are the Chivas and Querétaro although much of their movement has been subtraction with only a modicum of addition.

Querétaro is overhauling its roster for the second time in five months. After selling off a crop of young stars last summer (Jordi Cortizo, Marcel Ruiz, Paulo Yrizar and Jimmy Gómez among them), 12 players are on the chopping block come December. The sports newspaper “Record” reports that six regulars – Omar “La Pina” Arellano, Julián Velázquez, Sebastián Sosa, Julio Nava, Alfonso Luna and Irving Zurita – will be released.

Said to be joining the Gallos Blancos are Jefferson Montero and Omar Mendoza. Montero, an Ecuadorian winger, enjoyed some success with Monarcas Morelia in 2014 before leaving for Swansea City. Mendoza is a fullback who played regularly for Tijuana.

The White Roosters will begin the new season under rookie coach Héctor Altamirano, 43, who took over the job after Alex Diego was fired following a Matchday 15 home loss to Necaxa. The Gallos finished second-to-last in the Liga MX table thanks to a season-ending 9-game winless streak. We’ll have to see if ownership has patience with “Pity” who previously coached Querétaro’s academy squads.

Farther north, Guadalajara is hoping to benefit from the old addition-by-subtraction rule. Disciplinary issues forced the front office to put four players on the chopping block – “Chofis” López, Dieter Villalpando, José Juan Vázquez and Alexis Peña. It is also possible (but unlikely) that striker J.J. Macías could leave for Europe.

The Chivas are not sitting still, announcing recently that they are bringing César Huerta back home. Huerta had a breakout season while on loan to Mazatlán FC. Coach Francisco Palencia moved “Chino” into a more forward role – a cross between an attacking mid and a false 9 – and the youngster thrived. The Guadalajara native turns 20 on Dec. 3, so the Chivas brain trust is hoping he’ll be a fixture in red-and-white stripes for years to come.

Another loaned-out Chivas player enjoyed a stellar year (sort of makes you wonder if Guadalajara mis-uses its personnel). Walter Gael Sandoval helped turn Santos’ season around after winning a starting job on the wing. It is thought that Sandoval might prefer staying with Santos (this is his second go-round with the Guerreros) where he made his debut as an 18-year-old, even earning a try-out with Roma after playing in the Torneo de Viareggio, an Under-20 tournament. His term with the Chivas (2018-2019) did not go well.