Postseason 'Super Clásico': América has overall lead, but Chivas won last two

A semifinal “Super Clásico” is on tap and the defending champion Aguilas of América are in Guadalajara with revenge on their minds.

A year ago at this same stage in the Liga MX playoffs, the Chivas upset América to advance to the final. 

“Los AzulCremas” defeated “El Rebaño Sagrado” 1-0 in the first leg at Estadio Akron, but were stunned at Estadio Azteca in the return leg, their wings clipped 3-1 after Álvaro Fidalgo was shown a red card with the score tied 1-1.

Guadalajara would go on to lose the final, wasting the chance to match the Aguilas’ record 13 league titles. Then last season, América hoisted their 14th Liga MX trophy to boost their claim to supremacy.

América enjoys playoff bragging rights, but …

This will be the 15th “Super Clásico” in the postseason, though it is just the 13th elimination series between the two Liga MX giants. (The other two series occurred within a playoff group stage.)

América has eliminated Guadalajara out eight of the 12 previous times they faced off in a knock-out series and are 16-5-7 (34 goals for, 23 goals against) in playoff meetings

However, the Goats won the last two playoff meetings - the Clausura 2023 semifinals mentioned above and the Apertura 2020 quarterfinals – and it has been eight years since the Aguilas last bounced Guadalajara from the playoffs.

In both those instances, the Chivas were the lower seed, as they are again this year. Oh, and the Chivas enjoy a 3-2 advantage in semifinals clashes.

Furthermore, you have to go back eight years – to the Clausura 2016 campaign – to find the last time América emerged triumhant in a Liga MX playoff "Super Clásico." The two enemies met in the quarterfinals with the first leg ending in a scoreless draw in Guadalajara before América imposed their will in the second leg, winning 2-1

Familiarity breeds contempt

This season marks the second time fans will be treated to five “Clásico de Clásicos” in a single term.

In addition to the regular season meeting (a scoreless draw in Guadalajara on Matchday 12), the bitter Liga MX rivals met in the Round of 16 of the Concacaf Champions Cup with América advancing 5-3 on aggregate (a 3-0 Aguilas win at Estadio Akron followed by a 3-2 Chivas win at the Azteca).

The other time this occurred came back in the 1984-85 season, starting with (another) scoreless draw at Estadio Jalisco on March 24.

Then came a first-round clash in the Concacaf Champions Cup with América coming out on top by a 4-2 aggregate scoreline. Both contests took place at L.A. Memorial Coliseum, the first a 3-1 Aguilas victory on April 9, the second a 1-1 draw on April 23.

Next came a “Super Clásico” in the quarterfinals and again the Birds came out on top. The Aguilas won the first-leg match at Estadio Jalisco 2-0 on May 9 and eked by the Chivas in the return match 1-0 on May 12 at Estadio Jalisco.

The other Liga MX semifinal

Second-seeded Cruz Azul will be taking on fifth-seeded Monterrey in the other semifinal with the first game scheduled for Thursday at the Estadio BBVA Bancomer. The return match is set for Sunday at Mexico City's Estadio Azul.

The winner will take on the survivor of the "Super Clásico" which pits No. 1 seed and defending champion América against sixth-seeded Guadalajara. The two-legged final will take place next week.