UNAM: Least of the Liga MX Big Four
The Pumas momentarily halted talk of a disaster after their 2-0 win over Puebla on Matchday 6. However, that was followed by a calamitous 2-1 loss at Toluca that featured three red cards for “Los Universitarios.”
Right back Alan Mozo, winger Ángel García and striker Juan Ignacio Dinenno were sent to the showers by ref César Ramos, making the Pumas’ upcoming match against the Chivas a real uphill climb.
Mozo raked Rubens Sambueza’s knee with a reckless high challenge, collecting a red card for the third season in a row. The once-promising fullback is proving more and more unreliable, and he might find himself parked in Andrés Lillini’s dog house for some time.
Dinenno earned his expulsion AFTER the final whistle, adding additional headaches on top of the dissension the underperforming Argentine has been causing at the training ground where he has been acting out to protest the club’s failure to move him to a European team.
The on-field and off-field drama occurs just as it appears the club can re-open its stadium to fans. There’s not many more attractive games to sell tickets for than a visit from Chivas. Unfortunately, Pumas fans might not like what they see. They already don’t like the 1-2-4 performance that has “Los Auriazules” in 15th place.
To that end, the UNAM board of directors is pursuing a new general manager to replace the departed Jesús Martínez. The top candidate appears to be Pumas academy product José Antonio Noriega.
“Tato” came up through the UNAM system, debuting with the Pumas in a championship season – 1991. In addition to a long playing career (“Tato” also played for the title-winning Monarcas Morelia – Invierno 2000), Noriega has considerable experience as a front office man.
The 51-year-old Mexico City native served as general manager with Santos Laguna, Monarcas Morelia and, most recently, with FC Juárez. “Tato” is also media savvy, having spent years as a commentator on ESPN’s UEFA Champions League coverage.
Whoever UNAM settles on, the principle goal will be stability. Pumas fans have experienced dramatic ups-and-downs the past several years. To wit, a top 3 finish in the Apertura 2018 that ended with a 7-2 rout at the hands of América in the Liga MX semifinals; a 15th-place finish the next season and a 13th-place place right after; then a second-place finish and a Liga MX Finals appearance in the Guardianes 2020, followed by a 15th-place finish last season.