Entering Apertura Playoffs, Tigres 4-1 Favorites to Win Liga MX Title

• Santos Laguna finished top of regular season standings
• Third-placed Tigres unbeaten in last eight games
• Impressive defensive record could be the key to success

Tigres UANL are slightly favored to win Mexico’s Liga MX Apertura title as the playoffs begin even though Santos Laguna were the dominant force during the regular season.

Santos finished four points clear at the top of the regular season table after leading for most of the campaign – and never falling below third place.

Liga MX Apertura 2019 Title Odds

Odds taken at Nov. 26

Tigres finished third, which was their highest position since the opening round of fixtures after which they were second.

But the oddsmakers have made Monterrey-based Tigres the first pick at +400. Santos are jointly rated at +450 along with Club America and Leon, with Necaxa at +650.

Powerful End to Campaign

Third-seeded Tigres may run into second-seeded Leon in the semifinal, which helps make impressive Santos look the best value bet. There will be no upset.

The key factor in the analysis, however, may be that defensively-strong Tigres were unbeaten in their final eight matches of the regular season and hammered Santos 4-0 during that run.

Tigres are seeded third in the eight-team shoot-out and face sixth seeds Club America in the first leg of their last eight playoff tie in Mexico City on Thursday, November 28, Estadio Azteca, 10:00 pm EST.

Tigres lost only twice in the Apertura season but were regarded as being less potent than usual.

They last won the Apertura section of their nation’s national championship double-header in 2017. But they are reigning Clausura champions after victory over Leon in the two-legged final earlier this year.

Tigres lost only twice in the Apertura season but were regarded as being less potent than usual after drawing their opening four matches – and finishing level in no fewer than eight rounds of games. They also recorded eight wins.

Liga MX goalkeeper scores incredible long-range goal from inside his own box to secure a win over the weekend https://t.co/H9vKbt2acR

— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) November 25, 2019

Santos lifted the 2018 Clausura title and were clear winners in the Apertura regular season this year – finishing four points ahead of second-placed Leon.

The playoff draw bracket set-up means that Tigres and Santos cannot potentially meet until the two-legged final.

Santos lifted the 2018 Clausura title and were clear winners in the Apertura regular season this year – finishing four points ahead of second-placed Leon.

They won 11 matches and drew four losing three, one more than Tigres.

Seeded number one, they play away against eighth-seeded Monterrey in the first leg of their Linguilla last-eight tie on Thursday at Estadio BBVA Bancomer, Monterrey at 8.06 pm EST.

Monterrey will also be taking part in FIFA’s Club World Cup competition in Qatar in December after winning this year’s CONCACAF Champions League.

Santos were undefeated in their final six fixtures of the regular Apertura season.

Leading Goalscorers in Competition

They were the competition’s leading goalscorers with 40, which is significantly more than favorites Tigres’ tally of 26.

They led the table for the opening four rounds of four matches and during the final four rounds – with three other spells as front-runners as well.

However, Santos conceded 25 times while Tigres displayed much more defensive resolution and conceded only 14 goals which was the lowest total in the league.

Leon claimed second place in the regular season table after being as low as sixth with two rounds of fixtures remaining.

Mexico’s 19-team Liga MX is split into two separate competitions played during each year – the Clausura and the Apertura.

In both competitions, the league’s leading eight sides enter the eight-team playoffs.

Morelia are at home against Leon in the opening fixture of these playoffs on November 27, Estadio Jose Maria Morelos Y Pavon, Morelia, at 8.00 pm EST.

https://twitter.com/MLSnewss/status/1197606642180861954?s=20

Leon claimed second place in the regular season table after being as low as sixth with two rounds of fixtures remaining.

They are seeded second after winning nine times, drawing on six occasions and losing only three regular season games.

They were the second-highest goalscorers with 38 and were slightly better defensively than Santos after conceding 23 goals.

After finishing seventh, Morelia are seventh seeds.

Improvement After Stuttering Start

They languished in the lower reaches of the table during the first-half of the season. But following a gradual improvement, they held on to seventh place after climbing to that position with two games remaining.

They won eight games, drew three and lost seven.

Necaxa are at home against Queretaro in the second of Wednesday’s last eight games on November 27, at Estadio Victoria Aguascalientes, 10.00 pm EST.

After finishing fifth, Necaxa are seeded fifth. They slumped from second place after a 3-0 defeat at Puebla on the final day of the regular season.

They won nine times, drew four and lost five times.

.@MLS is bringing its all-star game to Los Angeles next summer. And for the first time it will involve stars from Mexico's Liga MX https://t.co/XaHup0EHky

— Kevin Baxter 🇺🇦🏳️‍🌈 (@kbaxter11) November 18, 2019

Fourth-placed finishers Queretaro are seeded fourth in the playoffs.

They had an identical record to Necaxa’s but finished higher by virtue of a two-goal advantage in goal difference.

The second leg ties will be played on Saturday, November 30 and Sunday, December 1.

Pick: Santos Laguna +450