Tigres, Monterrey and Club América Strong Favorites for Playoff Berths & Top 4 Finishes in Liga MX Apertura Season
- Four-times recent winners are fancied once again
- Giovanni dos Santos is major signing ahead of kick-off
- Leon set to make up leading quartet
Mexico’s Apertura soccer championship has been dominated by Tigres UANL during the past decade and they look set for another triumph as the latest edition of the competition kicks off this weekend.
The Monterrey-based team are favored to win a fifth title since 2011 after winning their first Clausura championship in May.
Their major rivals will be the revitalized Club America, their neighbors from CF Monterrey and Leon, who are each tipped for a top four finish by sportbooks.
Liga MX Apertura Top 4 & Playoff Odds
| Team | Top 4 Odds | Playoff Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Tigres UANL | -175 | -2500 |
| Club America | -115 | -1400 |
| Monterrey | -115 | -1400 |
| Leon | EVEN | -400 |
| Cruz Azul | +135 | -175 |
| Toluca | +175 | -175 |
| Santos Laguna | +200 | -150 |
| Pachuca | +225 | -150 |
| Chivas Guadalajara | +250 | -135 |
| Pumas UNAM | +325 | -125 |
| Tijuana | +400 | +110 |
| Necaxa | +700 | +200 |
| Atlas | +800 | +275 |
| Monarcos Morelia | +800 | +275 |
| Puebla | +800 | +275 |
| Queretaro | +800 | +275 |
| Atletico San Luis | +900 | +300 |
| FC Juarez | +1000 | +350 |
| Veracruz | +1100 | +400 |
*Odds taken 7/17/19
Tigres are rated at -175 for a top four finish with America joint-second at -115 along with Monterrey. Leon are then fancied at even-money for a top four place. The bookies are right. Its likely that is how the top four will shake down.
First Blow Struck in Campeones Clash
However, Club America struck an early psychological blow when they defeated Tigres in the Campeon Del Campeones curtain-raiser match in Los Angeles on Sunday.
The fixture is played between the two triumphant teams of Mexico’s two-handed championship with the previous year’s Apertura victors – America – meeting the winners of the Clausura, which Tigres lifted for the first time in May.
America won 6-5 on penalties after a goaless draw in California.
The arrival of the 30-year-old for his first campaign in Liga MX has seen the odds narrow on America lifting the Apertura title and they certainly look a good prospect for a top four finish.
The biggest talking point in Liga MX has been the signing by America of playmaker Giovani dos Santos, who was released by LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer.
We’re coming Atlanta.
? // #CampeonesCUP
LIGAMX's best ?? MLS's best? // @ATLUTD
?️ // August 14
? // @MBStadium
? // Atlanta pic.twitter.com/f0Z6PFMkoE— Club América EN (@ClubAmerica_EN) July 16, 2019
The arrival of the 30-year-old for his first campaign in Liga MX has seen the odds narrow on America lifting the Apertura title and they certainly look a good prospect for a top four finish.
However, veteran forward Oribe Peralta – at one time the most expensive signing in Mexican football history – has been sold to Chivas Guadalajara after scoring 60 goals in his five-year spell with America.
They may also lose midfielder Edson Alvarez to Ajax of Amsterdam.
Apertura Specialists
Tigres are specialists in the Apertura and won the prize in 2011, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
They won their first Clausura in May by defeating Leon in the final although they had finished second to them in the regular season table.
The leading eight teams in the Apertura regular season table – after each has played each other once – will go forward into a two-legged “Liguilla” knockout playoff system.
Tigres have added Uruguayan attacking midfielder Leonardo Fernandez to their roster. But right back Luis Advincula has moved to Villareal in Spain for £2.7 million.
Long-serving coach Tuca Ferretti has turned Tigres into Mexico’s most powerful team by instilling a highly disciplined work ethic and sense of organization into the team.
Tigres UANL vs. Leon score: Ferretti and company win Liga MX crown with stellar defensive effort https://t.co/ZUdLTDoxnb
— ⚽️Football Mania (@footymania247) May 27, 2019
They will be led up front once again by the French former Marseille striker Andre Pierre-Gignac who is the second leading goalscorer in the club’s history with a total of 90 strikes.
Tigres have added Uruguayan attacking midfielder Leonardo Fernandez to their roster. But right back Luis Advincula has moved to Villareal in Spain for £2.7 million.
Monterrey were eliminated in the semifinal of the recently-completed Clausura by Tigres last May.
After finishing fifth in the regular season Apertura table last winter, they were beaten in the semifinal by Cruz Azul.
Champions League Title Holders
However, they are the current holders of the CONCACAF Champions League title after defeating their great rivals Tigres in the final over two legs last spring.
Leon finished on top of the Clausura regular season table last May before their defeat in the final by Tigres.
But they finished a lowly 14th in last year’s Apertura and failed to make the playoffs.
Their major summer acquisition has been the signing of Chilean left-winger Jean Meneses from Udeconce for $1.5 million.
Naturally enough, the teams favored for a top four finish are also the leading candidates to reach the eight-team playoff tournament in December.
Cruz Azul haven’t won a title for 22 years but are jointly-fancied fifth for the playoffs
Tigres are rated at -2500 at sportsbooks. Monterrey and America are jointly-tipped at -1400 and Leon are -400.
These penalties were so nerve-wracking but The Ending was AMAZING. #ClubAmerica pic.twitter.com/pBrER9Y7zm
— E̶m̶m̶a̶n̶u̶e̶l̶ (@emmanyo) July 15, 2019
Cruz Azul haven’t won a title for 22 years but are jointly-fancied fifth for the playoffs at -175.
It’s a good call. They have made two major signings to land Paraguayan centre-back Juan Escobar from Cerro Porteno in his homeland for $6.5 million and Argentine attacking midfielder Guillermo from Racing Club for $4.5 million.
Toluca are also rated at -175 odds. They failed to make the Clausura playoffs last spring after finishing ninth.
Chivas Could Be Playoff Contenders
The better value bet than Toluca may be supplied by the slumbering giants of Chivas after their signing of forward Peralta. They are -135 to make the playoffs.
After finishing seventh in the Apertura in 2018, Toluca were eliminated in the last eight of the playoffs by Club America.
Pachuca and Santos Laguna are rated to make up the top eight at -150.
Ajax and Club América have agreed a €15 million transfer fee for Edson Álvarez. The 21-year-old Mexican defender, who is considered the successor of Matthijs de Ligt, will soon travel to Amsterdam for his medical and to ink a five-year deal.
? @telegraaf pic.twitter.com/JkviQy8zpa
— AjaxTimes (@ajaxtimes) July 15, 2019
There was a defeat for Pachuca in the last eight of the most recent Clausura playoffs by eventual winners Tigres after finishing seventh in the regular season table.
They were tenth in last year’s Apertura and missed the playoffs.
Last year, Santos were fourth in the Apertura but lost in the first round of knockout games to Monterrey.
Picks: Top 4: Leon (EVEN). Playoffs: Chivas Guadalajara (-135)
John Dillon is a leading member of the UK's sporting media, having spent three decades as a national newspaper soccer and sports writer, broadcaster and author. He has covered five World Cups, six European Championships and was Chief Sports Writer at the Daily Express for 14 years.
