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Copa por México gives coaches opportunity to prepare for Clausura 2023

By Thomas Buckley

Cruz Azul's Carlos Rotondi (left) traps the ball under the watchful eye of Necaxa's Brayan Garnica during Monday's Copa por México match in Toluca. (Photo by Jonathan Mondragon/Jam Media/Getty Images)
Cruz Azul's Carlos Rotondi (left) traps the ball under the watchful eye of Necaxa's Brayan Garnica during Monday's Copa por México match in Toluca. (Photo by Jonathan Mondragon/Jam Media/Getty Images) /
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Liga MX Copa Mexico
Andrés Lillini sports his new Necaxa togs ahead of the Liga MX preseason tournament opener for the Rayos against Cruz Azul. (Photo by Jonathan Mondragon/Jam Media/Getty Images) /

The preseason Liga MX tournament known as Copa por México kicked off Monday night and – let’s be honest – it’s not going to make any of us forget about the World Cup.

This Cup series features 10 Liga MX teams in two groups with each team playing the other four teams in its group. The teams sitting atop each group will square off in the final on Dec. 30, a week before the new Liga MX season begins.

Group A is comprised of América, Cruz Azul, Pumas, Necaxa and Toluca while Guadalajara, Tigers, Atlas, Santos Laguna and Mazatlán FC make up Group B.

The 20 group stage games will be played at four venues – Estadio Nemesio Diéz in Toluca, Estadio CU (UNAM’s home field), Estadio Universitario – aka “El Volcán, home of Tigers – and Estadio Jalisco.

Liga MX coaches in the spotlight

Cruz Azul and Necaxa played to a scoreless draw in the opener of the tournament with Raúl Gutiérrez and Andrés Lillini looking on.

Gutiérrez is fully installed as Cruz Azul coach after finishing the Apertura 2022 with the interim label in front of his name. After leading Mexico’s Under-17 team to a World Cup title in 2011, many Liga MX observers figured “El Potro” would be coaching in the league eventually. But that day was long in coming.

Lillini is in charge of his second Liga MX team and he didn’t spend too much time in the unemployment line.

The Argentine led UNAM to the Liga MX Final his first season in charge (Apertura 2020) but was fired on Oct. 4 after the Pumas finished in 17th place. On Nov. 3, Necaxa hired Lillini who has considerable experience as a youth teams coach with the hope that he can develop the young talent on the Rayos’ roster.

Other new coaches taking part in the Copa por México are UNAM manager Rafael Puente Jr., Tigres coach Diego Cocca, Chivas boss Veljko Paunovic and Atlas head man Benjamín Mora.

The Tigers-Atlas contest on Dec. 17 will be of particular interest as it pits Cocca against his former team.

Next. Two things to watch for in Argentina-Croatia match. dark

Cocca led Atlas to back-to-back Liga MX titles before a disappointing Apertura 2022 season after which the manager declined a new contract. The Argentine was hired a week after Tigres fired Miguel Herrera on Nov. 9.

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