Guadalajara’s quandary, Cruz Azul’s dilemma, and more

The Apertura 2023 is headed for the final turn as Liga MX play resumes this weekend, starting with a Friday night tripleheader.

Although Saturday’s Toluca at León and Sunday’s Monterrey at UNAM are the marquee match-ups, tonight’s Guadalajara at Puebla contest offers up considerable intrigue.

The Chivas travel to Estadio Cuauhtémoc with some baggage. After a three-week suspension for violating team rules, star players Alexis Vega and Cristian Calderón were reinstated to the team though neither has made the trip to Puebla.

Guadalajara management has taken quite a bit of heat for appearing to bend after declaring that the offending players would be sent packing. However, Liga MX and FIFA regulations prohibit such drastic action and the Chivas had little choice but to follow the rules.

The challenge for coach Veljko Paunovic will be to establish unity in the locker room and restore some pride so that the Chivas can make a late-season push for a high playoff seed.

Cruz Azul has a Dueñas dilemma

Two weeks ago, we told you about Jesús Dueñas’ lawsuit against his former team, FC Juárez.

The five-time Liga MX champions was released by the Bravos over the summer after they claimed Dueñas had signed a one-year contract when he swears he signed a three-year deal.

So after learning of the lawsuit, FC Juárez ownership filed a complaint against Cruz Azul insisting the Cementeros owed them buy-out money for acquiring Dueñas.

The Bravos appear to be admitting that Dueñas did indeed have a three-year contract and they want to benefit from it. Meanwhile, Cruz Azul might have to cough up some money after thinking they had signed a wily veteran on a free. It will be interesting to see how league HQ rules in this dispute.

And we thought the bad old days of twin contracts were over. That’s when Liga MX teams would sign one contract with the player then submit paperwork to the league office with a lower financial figure so as to reduce their tax burden.

Back on the Liga MX playing fields …

Santos Laguna goalie Carlos Acevedo has been cleared to return to action after June shoulder surgery.

The acrobatic netminder was once thought of as the obvious heir apparent to Guillermo Ochoa as El Tri’s No. 1, but struggled last season while dealing with the injury.

Santos conceded 34 goals in the 16 games that Acevedo started last season – the defense was atrocious so not all of the mayhem can be attributed to Acevedo’s injury – and Guerreros management finally shut him down after the team was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

The 27-year-old goalie will be back in uniform though he has not been declared the starter as of yet. The Guerreros face league-leading América at Estadio Azteca on Saturday night.

Speaking of the Aguilas …

“Los Azulcremas” will be without playmaker Diego Valdés for up to two months, but now comes word that midfielder Richard Sánchez is likely unavailable for the Santos Laguna game.

Sánchez played all 90 minutes for Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier against Argentina on Oct. 12 and emerged gimpy such that he was not included on the roster for the Oct. 17 match against Bolivia.

The 27-year-old is said to be suffering from muscle fatigue (no further details have been offered) and he might be a game-time decision, at best.

That could leave coach André Jardine short-handed in midfield although Jona dos Santos and Álvaro Hidalgo figured to be the starters. Jardine’s problem will be who to insert at the point of the midfield triangle in place of Valdés.