Get prepared for the 2024 Liga MX Apertura closing!
Kicking off with Thursday’s dwelling leg for Club America, after which closing out with Monterrey as hosts for Sunday’s second leg, this season’s Liga MX champions are set to be topped this week. Ahead of 180+ minutes of the much-anticipated title collection, here is every little thing that you must know in regards to the finalists.
CLUB AMERICA
(Regular season: eighth place, 8W-3D-6L)
How they bought right here
Injury issues and a busy schedule pushed and pulled the Mexico City giants by inconsistent outcomes and questionable performances. That stated, with all different competitions within the rear view mirror, Liga MX’s most profitable workforce have misplaced simply as soon as of their final 12 video games.
In the playoffs, they’ve embraced a five-man backline that carried them to victories over Toluca within the quarterfinal stage, and a dramatic semifinal turnaround in opposition to rivals and No. 1 seed Cruz Azul. It’s now not excessive possession futbol, however that will not matter to followers who’re longing for a 3rd straight title.
One purpose they’re going to win, and one purpose they will not
Why they’re going to win? Head coach André Jardine and his roster are not any strangers to the scenario at hand after successful the final two Liga MX titles. The change to a extra cautious fashion has labored wonders, and regardless of their possession numbers plummeting on account of this, they have been environment friendly going ahead and extra defensively strong.
As to why they’re going to lose, this change additionally poses a threat for the workforce that’s now offering fewer alternatives within the closing third. Club America’s 4 playoff video games have featured their three matches with the fewest probabilities created within the 2024 Apertura. The experiment has to this point labored for Jardine, however this additionally means he may set himself up for doom if his gamers aren’t capable of be as harmful as they should be within the closing third.
Who is their participant to look at?
In a roster that’s stuffed with among the finest and brightest in North American membership soccer, the standout playoff participant for Las Aguilas has been 23-year-old academy product Ramón Juarez. The central defender has been invaluable together with his interventions — which included a powerful whole of 30 clearances within the semifinal legs — and in addition lately stepped up with a aim in opposition to Cruz Azul.
If head coach Jardine continues to prioritize a extra reactive than proactive fashion of play, Juarez will likely be an important cog within the line of defense.
Is a call-up to Mexico‘s senior nationwide workforce subsequent?
What a title would imply for the membership
It would imply that Las Aguilas proceed to be in a category of their very own in Mexican soccer.
Currently the all-time league-leaders with 15 championships to their identify, Club America would then turn into the primary in Liga MX to win three consecutive titles (within the quick season period). Jardine, as soon as an unknown commodity exterior of Mexico that started his 2023 Club America introductory press convention by telling media appropriately pronounce his identify, would additionally spotlight that he is the very best coach in Liga MX.
Although fashionable Mexican soccer has seen a monetary pivot to rising northern giants like Monterrey and Tigres, a sixteenth championship for Club America would as soon as once more cement that they’re nonetheless the undisputed kings.
MONTERREY
(Regular season: fifth place, 9W-4D-4L)
How they bought right here
Like Club America, inconsistency was the norm till the ultimate phases of the season. Once on a lackluster summer time stretch that earned a 3W-3D-4L report throughout all competitions, Monterrey have now picked up their tempo with 5 wins from their final six.
Things took a while to regulate beneath a brand new period with head coach Martin Demichelis, however the assault is flying with current stand-out performances from marquee names like Sergio Canales, Germán Berterame, and Oliver Torres.
Often seen as extra of a gaggle of rich proficient people and fewer like a workforce, Los Rayados are lastly beginning to gel.
One purpose they’re going to win, and one purpose they will not
With arguably the deepest roster in all of North American soccer, Demichelis has no lack of back-up plans and back-ups to these alternates. Momentum can also be key for the workforce that performed their finest 90+ minutes of soccer this season in final week’s 5-1 thrashing of Atletico San Luis within the semifinal stage.
All that stated, it is a membership that may additionally wrestle defensively. While their attacking numbers have began to enhance, that is additionally a facet that ranks third-to-last (playoffs included) when trying on the share of aerial duels received, and in addition ranks simply tenth within the share of all duels received.
Let’s not neglect, they have been scoring lots within the playoffs, however have additionally allowed 5 objectives in simply their final three matches.
Who is their participant to look at?
It must be their guiding gentle and No. 10 within the midfield, Sergio Canales.
The 33-year-old Spaniard, who has stepped up with 4 objectives and 4 assists in simply his final six appearances, has been a pleasure to look at. His imaginative and prescient stays world-class and it is no shock as to why the chief is sometimes chosen as workforce captain.
If Monterrey succeed, it’s going to doubtless be because of the participant who loves to tug the strings within the beginning XI — and sometimes rating as effectively.
What a title would imply for the membership
A championship could be a worthy prize for a company that has tried to shift the epicenter of Mexican soccer to the north by an immense quantity of funding.
Through they’ve the very best and most fashionable stadium in Liga MX, back-to-back championships for his or her ladies’s workforce, among the league’s most celebrated stars, three runs because the cumulative year-long factors leaders since 2015, additionally they simply have one title within the final decade.
A sixth championship wouldn’t solely assist steal the highlight away from the normal large 4 from Mexico City and Guadalajara (Club America, Chivas, Cruz Azul, Pumas), however would additionally give a much-needed enhance as they hope to make some noise on the 2025 Club World Cup.
Predicted scoreline
Defense wins championships, and after a tough fought 1-1 draw at dwelling within the first leg, Club America will lock issues down with a slim 1-0 away victory in Monterrey. One can not help however really feel as if Demichelis continues to be figuring issues out after arriving in August, and as for Jardine, his expertise in Mexico and extra pragmatic method factors to him preventing off Monterrey’s attacking efforts.
Club America, with a 2-1 combination rating, ought to win Liga MX’s 2024 Apertura title.
