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Liga MX Playoff Odds: 14th Place Monterrey Even-Money to Make Top 8

John Dillon

by John Dillon in Soccer News

Updated Apr 22, 2020 · 10:37 AM PDT

Vincent Janssen celebrates a goal for Monterrey
Netherlands international striker Vincent Janssen left Tottenham Hotspur of the EPL during the summer and hopes he can now help fire Monterrey into the Liga MX Apertura playoffs in Mexico. Photo from @MonterreyOfficial(Twitter)
  • Mexico’s biggest club only two points off a place in the shoot-out
  • Seventh-placed Pachuca have won three straight and look good value
  • Atlas and Tijuana also look promising for Apertura’s later stage

Things are so tight in Mexico’s Liga MX that 14th-placed Monterrey are currently only two points off a top eight playoff place.

In fact, a good run over their remaining fixtures could catapult them into the top four. With 16 points, they are only five points behind fourth-placed Club America.

A new coach, Antonio Mohamed, has been installed at Monterrey which could boost their performances in the run-in.

So at even-money to make the Liguilla mini-league playoffs in the Apertura section of the competition, they offer some of the better value in a low-opportunity field.

Liga MX Apertura 2019 Playoff Odds

Team Current Ranking Odds
Santos Laguna 2nd -800
Club America 4th -700
Necaxa 1st -500
Leon 5th -350
Tigres UANL 6th -275
Queretaro 3rd -175
Pumas UNAM 8th -140
Monterrey 14th EVEN
Pachuca 7th +120
Tijuana 10th +120
Atlas 9th +185
Cruz Azul 12th +200
Atletico San Luis 11th +250
Monarcas Morella 13th +275
Chivas Guadalajara 17th +400
Toluca 15th +800
Puebla 16th +1200
FC Juarez 18th +1600
Veracruz 19th +100000

Odds taken at 2019/10/11

However, Pachuca, who are in seventh position with 18 points are priced at +120 which could be more productive – especially on their current form of three straight victories.

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Seven of the leading eight sides in the table – all apart from Pachuca – are all paying less than even-money in this field.

Unbeaten Three-Match Run

Ninth-placed Atlas present promising value at +185 after one win and two draws in their current run of unbeaten form.

They also have 18 points and are below the playoff places only on goal difference but have played 13 games.

Tijuana, in 10th place, are also rated at +120 with 18 points after 12 matches.

“Los Tuzos” are on a roll after successive wins; 4-1 at home against Tijuana, 4-2 away at Guadalajara and 2-0 at home against Cruz Azul.

The next two fixtures for Pachuca could see them build further upon their impressive form.

The next two fixtures for Pachuca  could see them build further upon their impressive form.

They face second-from-bottom Juarez at home and then travel to meet 15th-placed Toluca.

Tijuana have won twice and drawn once in their last four games to hold on to 10th place – their best position in nine rounds of fixtures, suggesting they, too, offer better value than Monterrey.

Tough Trip to Santos Laguna

However, Tijuana next face an away trip to second-placed Santos Laguna before a home game against bottom side Veracruz.

Atletico San Luis are in 11th place and are interesting at +275 but lost three consecutive Liga MX games before beating Juarez in their most recent fixture.

The present leaders, Necaxa, are priced at -500 to make the playoffs with the teams below them in the leading pack priced even more unpromisingly in terms of returns.

Club America are presently in fourth place but are rated at -700 for the playoffs even though they are only three points behind Necaxa’s leading total of 24 points.

Second-placed Santos Laguna are rated at -800, having played a game fewer than Necaxa while being only one point behind.

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Club America are presently in fourth place but are rated at -700 for the playoffs even though they are only three points behind Necaxa’s leading total of 24 points and have played the same amount of fixtures – 13.

The leading eight teams play a knockout tournament of quarterfinals, semifinals and finals once the playoff qualifiers are determined.

Each round, including the final, is played over two legs.

Mexico has two championships each year – the Apertura and the Clausura.

No Title Triumph Since 2010

Monterrey has not won a title since it claimed the 2010 Apertura.

Returning coach Antonio Mohamed will take charge of the team for the first time in his second spell at the club in the game against third-from-bottom Guadalajara at home.

Argentine Mohamed managed the team between 2015 and 2019.

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Diego Alonso was fired at the end of September after a 2-0 home defeat by fierce rivals Tigres UANL.

The hope is that coach Mohamed can change things and inspire a late run in to the playoff positions.

Monterrey have lost their last two fixtures – with a 2-1 defeat by Queretaro in the most recent fixture following the setback against Tigres.

They have won only once in their last six matches. So the hope is that coach Mohamed can change things and inspire a late run into the playoff positions.

They were as high as seventh place after 11 rounds of matches but have tumbled to 14th after 13.

Pick: Pachuca +120

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