![]() How the players respond to the tongue-lashing will go a long way in determining whether or not Guadalajara can make another deep playoff run. 9 hurt “los rojiblancos”?Ĭoach Paunovic reamed out the locker room after Leagues Cup elimination, citing a lack of teamwork and poor attitudes. The Chivas were by far the most balanced team during the Clausura 2023, demonstrating efficiency moving forward on the counter and while sustaining possession, and also featuring a smothering press.īut things fell apart in the Leagues Cup and now one wonders which is the real Chivas? Was last season a mirage? A perfect storm? Or will the lack of a legitimate No. “El Rebaño Sagrado” must regain last season’s mojo, which featured a stunning resurgence under first-year coach Veljko Paunovic that ended with a Finals appearance. ![]() Guadalajara sits atop the Liga MX table with a 3-0-0 record but the Chivas looked woeful in the Leagues Cup, slinking back home after failing to escape the group stage. Goalie Luis Malagón will also be under pressure to pick up the slack for an occasionally leaky defense. New acquisition Julián Quiñones will be called upon to produce more up front while wingers Leo Suárez and Alejandro Zendejas must step up, and quickly. Also, dangerman Jonathan Rodríguez’s knee injury will keep him out another 2-3 weeks. “Los Millonetas” are 1-0-1 (their opener at Querétaro was postponed) and must tighten up the attack and the defense, especially the defense (which ownership tried to address by making a futile offer to Sergio Ramos) which has been “adventurous” in the worst meaning of the word.įor now, América must also overcome injuries – striker and reigning Liga MX MVP Henry Martín is sidelined with fatigue from overuse, stalwart defender Sebastián Cáceres has a busted nose while playmaker Diego Valdés is battling a calf strain. With that said, the Aguilas have been stuck on 13 championships (yes, a league record) since December 2018 and new boss André Jardine knows his term in charge could end quickly if he doesn’t add silverware to the cabinet this season. It helps that the club perennially boasts a top four payroll (Thank you, Televisa!) but América also boasts a killer mentality – they will crush you any chance they get and if you don’t put them away they will more often than not make you pay. The Aguilas have finished in the top four of the regular season standings each of the past six seasons and you have to go way back to 2011 to find the last time “Los Azulcremas” failed to qualify for the Liga MX playoffs. And Guadalajara was battling relegation only seven years ago.Īmérica is the lone “Big 4” team that has consistently been in the title chase. The Big 4 has just 3 wins in 11 matches and have conceded 13 goals in those 11 contests.Īs for recent trends, UNAM missed the playoffs entirely in three of the past five seasons and finished dead last twice since 2013, while Cruz Azul has been no better than a wildcard in the past four seasons. And that’s what we’ll offer here as we look ahead to the resumption of the Apertura 2023 season New América coach André Jardine: Win title #14 or elseīefore we look at the upcoming calendar for “Los cuatro grandes,” a bit more data to support the premise stated above, especially as it pertains to this season. ![]() Still, the legacies and historical achievements of the four clubs that comprise this celebratory sobriquet do allow for a wee bit of deference. In fact, the Northern Giants + 1 (Tigres – 5 titles in 7 Liga MX Finals appearances Monterrey – 1 title in 3 Finals Santos Laguna – 2 titles in 3 Finals) and two provincial teams (León – 3 titles in 5 Finals Pachuca – 2 titles in 4 Finals) make a strong case for relegating the Big 4 moniker to the trash bin. Over the past 20 seasons, América, Guadalajara, Cruz Azul and UNAM have won just five Liga MX titles between them (the Aguilas have three of those) although they can collectively claim eight runners-up trophies in that time span. ![]() Real Liga MX fans recognize that the reference to the Big 4 has been little more than an honorary appellation for quite some time. (Photo by Simon Barber/Getty Images) Challenges for Liga MX Big Four heading into Matchday 4 The Chivas must respond positively to the tongue-lashing if they hope to return to the Liga MX Finals again this season. Guadalajara head coach Veljko Paunovic read his players the riot act after their Leagues Cup debacle. ![]()
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