Liga MX: Chivas chase El Tri star; coaching carousel spins
As eight Liga MX clubs prepare for Wildcard Weekend, the top three seeds have their eyes on a separate piece of hardware – the Concacaf Champions League trophy.
Although the Top 4 have a bye into the Liga MX quarterfinals starting May 11, Cruz Azul, América and Monterrey have midweek dates with MLS clubs in the CCL quarterfinals.
The Cementeros host Toronto FC tonight with a 3-1 advantage from the first leg, while the Aguilas (1-1 at Portland Timbers) and the Rayados (2-2 at Columbus Crew) hope to leverage home field into a berth in the semifinals.
The Concacaf tournament will be paused after the midweek games resuming with the Final Four in mid-August.
Chivas top Liga MX News and Rumors
Heading into the Guardianes 2021 season, general manager Ricardo Peláez declared that the Chivas would contend for a Top 4 seed and the first-round playoff bye that goes with it.
By Matchday 15, the club was not even assured of a playoff berth. Fortunately, coach Víctor Manuel Vucetich and “El Rebaño Sagrado” found a magic formula and put together a three-game win streak that boosted the Chivas into the No. 9 seed.
Whatever happens in the Liga MX playoffs from here on out, it is certain that a roster makeover is coming. Not only because the club is not meeting expectations, but also because of financial concerns.
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Guadalajara still owes Necaxa a significant amount of money for the January 2020 acquisition of Cristián Calderón, Jesús Angulo and Alexis Peña. Reports indicate ownership has arranged to send Necaxa a player or two this summer as payment.
One of those apparently destined to become a Rayo is fan favorite Fernando “Nene” Beltrán, a shifty midfielder who has fallen down Vucetich’s pecking order.
Despite the money concerns, the Chivas are being linked to defender Néstor Araujo who will not be re-signed by Celta de Vigo. Araujo – a regular with El Tri – has announced that he prefers to remain in Europe, but Guadalajara is evidently negotiating with the Cruz Azul product.
The Cementeros might be interested in the 29-year-old Olympic Gold Medal-winner since central defender Pablo Aguilar is out of contract in June, but Araujo is a Guadalajara native.
Coaching carousel starts spinning again
“Tuca” Ferretti is still in the Tigres’ director’s chair but he is headed out the door as soon as the season ends. Former América coach Miguel Herrera is set to take over for the “Auriazules.”
Despite a strong résumé, “El Piojo” is not a favorite among Tigres fans and not just because he coached the hated Aguilas. Herrera has an explosive temper that has seen him ejected from games, hurl insults at referees and even pick fights with opposing managers. You can bet the contract is littered with behavior clauses.
On Monday, Tomás Boy was canned by Mazatlán FC after the club finished the Guardianes 2021season with a 6-3-8 record, missing out on the Liga MX playoffs by a mere goal. The Purple Gang were even with Querétaro on points (21) but the Gallos Blancos claimed the final wildcard spot thanks to a better goal differential (-6, compared to Mazatlán’s pitiful -7).
Although “El Jefe” Boy is known for favoring an attacking style, the Gang was in 17th place for shots taken (160 in 17 games) and 16th place for shots on goal (57). Mazatlán FC was also last in chances created (350, as compared to 552 created by Atlas, the Liga MX leader in the category).
Joining Boy in the unemployment line is Leonel Rocco who was sacked by Atlético de San Luis over the weekend. The Tuneros finished second-to-last in the Liga MX table (12 points) while leading the league in losses (11) and goals allowed (33).
The front office must also deal with a 120 million-peso penalty levied against the club for finishing last in the “Relegation Standings,” a tabulation related to a team’s performance over a three-year period.
Rocco lasted just one season, producing a 3-3-11 record (12 points). No doubt, the Uruguayan manager and the Tuneros had plenty to complain about as several controversial refereeing decisions went against them.
Atlético de Madrid, majority owner of the San Luis franchise, has announced it will undertake a major organizational reshuffling. Team president Alberto Marrero is rumored to be recruiting former Tigres vice president Miguel Ángel Gurza for the general manager post. Once that information leaked out, it was a small leap to speculate that “Tuca” Ferretti could be on the short list for new coach.
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Ferretti – the all-time winningest coach in Liga MX history with 7 league titles among the 14 pieces of hardware he has won as coach – would be a huge catch for long-suffering San Luis fans.