Atlas will have little time to celebrate before defending the Liga MX 2021 Apertura title. Exactly 25 days after the trophy is hoisted, the top flight of Atlas and the rest of Mexico will resume on 6 January with the start of the 2022 Clausura tournament.
Similar to Apertura, the rules and structure of Liga MX will remain the same. There will be 17 regular season matches played by each team, the top four in the table automatically qualifying for the quarterfinal round of the Liguila playoffs, while spots 5 to 12 will participate in the wildcard weekend.
Promotion and relegation are still on hold, meaning that the bottom three teams in the coefficient table – which we will see later – will likely pay a fee rather than move to the second division.
Atlas are looking to repeat as Liga MX champions while Monterrey are looking for some serious silverware. Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images
But enough about the rules. With no shortage of storylines, transfers or players to analyze in the always entertaining top leagues from North America, here's everything you need to know before things start on January 6.
Jump to: Can Atlas Repeat? , Who won the transfer market? , Monterey do double? , Who needs to be repaired? under the radar? , El Try Youngsters to Eye | Bottom-feeder Battle | So, who will win the title?! ,
Can Atlas Build on Historical Runs and Repeat?
Although Atlas' Liga MX championship was their first in 70 years, a second consecutive trophy is not an odd proposition. In a fickle league that often ousted coaches after a few months in charge, Atlas manager Diego Coca was given ample time to solidify his ideas through a defensively organized 5-3-2 system. Is.
"The truth is that the mindset we have built with these people, with this institution is very strong," Koca said in a post-game news conference after winning the Liga MX title last month. "And today, it proves it."
He has a clear character and identity for the team, and with Jess Angulo (for Tigress) as the only notable departure from the club, Coca will be able to count on a number of recognizable names who will be well-versed in his approach. .
At least, they will be dark horses for another championship.
Julio Farch and Atlas achieved a second star for Atlas Crest. Can they do it again? Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images Will Tigress, Cruz Azul, US, Chivas benefit from the transfers?
One of the tales of the winter season, if not the story of the winter season, was the absence of European transfers for many high-profile Mexican talents, who were in turn transferred to another Liga MX side.
From those exclusive winter deals, no team benefited more than the Tigress. Already top-heavy with marquee names like Andre-Pierre Gignac, Guido Pizarro and Florian Thouvin, Tigress made headlines with the addition of Sebastian Cordova from Club America and Angulo from Atlas.
Editor's Choice
Does Liga MX's transfer market keep Mexico's young stars away from European moves? 7d Cesar Hernandez Atlas' Liga MX title win features newlyweds, tears of lifelong joy, and some Chiva trolling 23d Cesar Hernandez
1 related
Cruz Azul also made a number of eye-catching home additions, with Uriel Antuna from Chivas, Carlos "Charlie" Rodriguez from Monterrey and Eric Lira from Pumas thrown into the mix. The only issue is whether it will be a gamble for the club which has left a growing list of players including Roberto Alvarado (for Chivas), Orbellin Pineda (who is set to join LaLiga's Celta Vigo) and Luis Romo. (for Monterrey). , Without these starts - and perhaps a few more in the near future - Cruz Azul might not have been able to recreate the same magic that led them to the drought-ending championship title in the 2021 Clausura.
Speaking of Alvarado, it remains up in the air whether that will be enough to solve Chivas' problems. With Antuna and Alejandro Mayorga out of the squad, Alvarado may be struggling to rekindle the sleeping legend who lost in the wildcard rounds after finishing 10th on the table last season.
And although it may not be a transfer from one Liga MX team to another, if we are talking about major Mexican signings, we need to bring Rodolfo Pizarro to Monterrey and Jonathan dos Santos to Club America. Both players are coming back in time in Major League Soccer (Inter Miami CF and LA Galaxy, respectively) and are already carrying high expectations.
Mexico stars Roberto Alvarado and Uriel Antuna switched teams. Who Will Benefit More, Cruz Azul or Chivas? Mauricio Salas/JAM Media/Getty ImagesWill any team win the Champions League and Liga MX doubles?
Since Monterrey last achieved it in 2019, the next opportunity to grab the two biggest prizes will go to four teams: Leon, Cruz Azul, Pumas and Santos Laguna.
As last season's Liga MX finalist, Lyon could be making a case for himself as a strong CCL contender in 2022. Cruz Azul may be a mixed bag ahead of the Liga MX season, but in the CCL, they will undoubtedly be a favourite.
Things are a bit more complicated for Santos Laguna and Pumas. Despite the fact that Santos manager Pedro Caixinha has experience in the CCL and Liga MX, the Portuguese head coach may want to prioritize home games in his first season. As far as pumas are concerned, it's hard to imagine they'd have the depth of a dent.
Also keep an eye on Monterrey in February's Club World Cup, where they could face the likes of Chelsea and Palmeiras. It's a big hill to climb, but Los Rayados could bring three pieces of silver to the Estadio BBVA this spring.
Rogelio Funes Mori remains a vital force for the ambitious Monterey. Hector Vivas/Getty Images Stars that should show improvement
Florian Thauvin, who is reportedly the highest paid player in Liga MX, needs to offer more for Tigress. He is believed to have had injury problems and a late start as he competed in the Olympics, but the French winger and former Marseille man did not reach the lofty heights he was expected to achieve. A red card in his debut last August really wasn't the best introduction.
What's next for Jonathan Gonzalez? The exciting up-and-comer, who was caught in a battle between representing the United States or Mexico and eventually choosing Mexico, has now been on a slow decline over the past several tournaments. After a tremendous stint with Necaxa, the 2017-18 Liga MX Rookie of the Year is now with Queretaro. Good news for him: He's still only 22 years old.
Monterey's Jesus Gallardo is also on the decline. Despite his consistent minutes for club and country, the Mexican left-back has lost some of his pace and defensive abilities. With the World Cup approaching, the 27-year-old should start giving some slack.
The signing of Florian Thauvin was a big splash, but an injury affected his first taste of Liga MX. Azel Rodriguez/Getty Images Who are some under-the-radar stars?
Midfielder Alejandro Zendejas is an easy candidate. After a quiet start to his Liga MX career, the FC Dallas Academy product eventually became an invaluable figure for Necaxa from 2020 onwards. Once a former US youth national team player who has switched to Mexico, Zendejas' stock is now rising as a well-rounded one. Midfielder who can play in the middle of the XI or on the flanks. It should come as no surprise to see that Club America is currently chasing the 23-year-old.
Although few other Atlas players deserve a spot in this category, defender Anderson Santamaria stands out with his aggressive and impressive presence in the backline. The 29-year-old Peruvian always seemed to establish himself perfectly with his timely tackles and interceptions that were crucial in Atlas' championship run.
Arturo Alfonso "Ponchito" Gonzalez, 27, is also going through a renaissance in his career. On the Monterrey roster, which has many international talents within the team, the Mexican midfielder has found a way to outshine most of them through his play and vision. If his form continues, he may be forced to play a more prominent role with the national team.
Alejandro Zendejas has quietly emerged as an all-round talent for Necaxa. EPA/Luis Ramirez Mexican youth who can emerge
Could Pachuca's Brian Gonzalez Be the Next Hirving Lozano or Eric Gutierrez? The 18-year-old left winger/attacking midfielder scored and assisted in his last four starts for Pachuca last season. This is probably because of his association with his respected Vikas Academy, but the hype for the player has started increasing. More opportunities will surely come for the sharper Mexicans.
Lyon's Fidel Umbridge has also gained traction with his eight Liga MX appearances last season. The 18-year-old central midfielder provides plenty of leadership for a player of his age, and in November, he captained Mexico's youth national team in the Revelations Cup.
Whether he stayed with Club Tijuana or is rumored to be moving to Club America, defender Viktor Guzmán is another promising man worth noting. Thanks to his strength, aerial ability and speed, the 19-year-old has been making a consistent debut with Club Tijuana since mid-2020.
Next 'Chuckie'? Probably unfair to say, but Brian Gonzalez is the latest Pachuca product to impress. Mauricio Salas/JAM Media/Getty Images Which clubs are in the running for the bottom three?
Relegation will be put on hold for at least one more summer in Liga MX. Therefore, teams in the bottom three of the coefficient table, which are decided by a points-per-game ratio over the past three years (six seasons), are awarded a penalty at the end of each clausura.
Necaxa, Club Tijuana and Juarez will start the season in the bottom three.
Unsurprisingly, each team finished in the last five places of the league table last season, with Tijuana finishing last. Of the three, Necaxa is the most likely to avoid fines. With little advantage in points-per-game, they have also made interesting acquisitions in the transfer window through the signings of Nico Castillo and Dieter Villalpando.
If Necaxa improves, and/or if Club Tijuana and Juárez score points early, other candidates such as Toluca, San Luis, Mazatlán and Queretaro may be dragged to the bottom three.
'Tuca' Ferretti had success at Tigres, but wins have waned since taking over for Juarez. Cesar Gomez/Jam Media/Getty Images Which club will win the 2022 Clausura title?
Will it be an Atlas? As previously mentioned, they are a dark horse that has captured most of their championship winning roster. On the side of coca, they'll be pushing for two in a row.
Tiger will also be a contender. Their already challenging squad has somehow become stronger after the winter additions of Angulo and Cordova. Considering that Thauvin may improve after more time to adjust, it's scary to think about what he'll be able to accomplish in the near future. Of course, he also has the ultimate clutch player in Gignac.
Monterey should be in the running, but things didn't click for manager Javier Aguirre and his squad at the end of 2021. Club America topped the regular season table last season, and they now have dos Santos, but manager doubts remain over Santiago Solari's cautious stance in the playoffs.
Cruz Azul's roster gamble may well prove to pay off, with Leon now regularly finding himself in finals, and elsewhere, Santos Laguna always punches well above his weight.
Any other team winning it all, it would be a surprising turn of events, but again, the same could be said for the last two champions of Liga MX...