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After 19 unpredictable weeks in the 2019 Liga MX Apertura, we finally have our eight teams qualified to the Liguilla.
Liga MX 2019 Apertura playoffs set: @ClubSantosEn vs. @rayados@clubleon_en vs. @FuerzaMonarca @TigresOficial vs. @ClubAmerica_EN @Club_Queretaro vs. @ClubNecaxa
— Tom Marshall (@mexicoworldcup) November 25, 2019
(Times set Mon but 1st legs will be Wed/Thurs; 2nd legs Sat/Sun) #ligamxeng
Out of the eight teams qualified to the “fiesta grande”, Club América is the only one of the “big four” to reach the final phase of the tournament, with Chivas, Cruz Azul and Pumas UNAM all missing out. However, Miguel Herrera’s quest for another league title in front of Las Águilas won’t be easy as they will be facing the defending champions Tigres in a match that is becoming all-too-familiar in recent Liguillas.
Meanwhile, Guillermo Almada’s Santos Laguna set the Liga MX ablaze this season, but they have also been dealt a tough draw, going up against Antonio Mohamed’s Monterrey. Essentially, this just won’t be a battle between the first seed and the eighth, it will be a battle between two teams with distinct ways of seeing the game.
Speaking of philosophies and ways of seeing the game, after last season’s record-breaking campaign, Ignacio Ambriz and Club León have unfinished business. Following a season that saw them finish second in the standings, they’ll be taking on a surprising Monarcas Morelia team and looking to finally capitalize on their regular season success.
Lastly, Querétaro-Necaxa is not a match to overlook. Both teams have been destabilizing forces during the 2019 Liga MX Apertura regular season, and if there is going to be an unlikely champion in this Liguilla, it is probably going to come from here.
What do you think of this season’s Liguilla?