Streaking Cruz Azul tops Liga MX Power Rankings

Tigres, Atlas, Toluca put playoff aspirations on line

There are three matches involving top 10 teams this weekend and in each case the home team is the underdog.

The most attractive game will take place Saturday night in Monterrey where 10th-place Tigres host second-place América. This clash became a Classic last decade as the two clubs claimed 8 Liga MX titles between them, meeting twice in the Finals.

The Aguilas have already clinched a playoff spot while the Tigres have floundered since their triumphant return from the FIFA Club World Cup as silver medalists. Coach “Tuca” Ferretti has stubbornly stuck with the veteran core that delivered five titles in seven Finals appearances since 2011.

The frustration in the locker room is palpable as several players resent the lack of playing time. Defender Francisco Meza is among them. He is out of contract in December and says he has no intention of re-upping (Tigres would be wise to sell him this summer). Playmaker Leo Fernández is also frustrated over lack of playing time and wants out.

If “Tuca” can’t turn things around in the remaining games, his offer of a contract extension could be rescinded. Expect this to be a tense and physical match.

León at Atlas

The champs have rediscovered their form and have been re-installed as a title favorite. The Esmeraldas were 2-1-6 after a March 6 loss to América after which skipper Luis Montes took the bull by the horns, guiding “La Fiera” to a 3-1-0 record since.

Coach Ignacio Ambriz’s team is the favorite heading into Estadio Jalisco despite being lower in the standings (León is 8th, Atlas in 5th), but they’ll face a resurgent Atlas team that has gone 6-3-1 since losing their first three games. The Zorros need this to be a low-scoring game to maintain their momentum.

Monterrey at Toluca

Seventh-place Toluca hosts the third-place Rayados in a must-win game for the Diablos. Toluca was in third place after a March 2 victory over the Tigres, but has not won since. A late push could earn “Los Choriceros” a Top 4 seed but a fade-out could see them forced to go on the road in the wildcard round.

Monterrey is woefully inefficient on offense, but scraping out wins due to a massive advantage in talent (the Rayados boast the highest payroll in Liga MX). Coach Javier Aguirre knows his guys must smooth out their issues if they hope to have a deep playoff run.

Expect Toluca to attack from the outset, pressing forward for the entire 90 minutes.

Two others to watch

League-leading Cruz Azul hosts a desperate Chivas team that is in serious danger of missing the playoffs. The Cementeros aim to equal the all-time Liga MX record for consecutive wins (12) set by León only two years ago and remain in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 seed. Guadalajara must win or face another embarrassing pratfall, one that could cause ownership to blow up the entire team (front office included).

At the lower end of the table, last place FC Juárez hosts Atlético de San Luis in a “Financial Penalty Face-Off.” Both clubs have mathematical possibilities of reducing their fines for finishing at the bottom of the “Relegation Standings,” but that requires winning out, an unlikely scenario for either team since both are amidst 6-game winless streaks. A draw would be useless, so expect plenty of effort (but not results).