Posted by Two of Mexico’s richest clubs are set to meet in a star-studded Liga MX Apertura 2019 Final. No club have won more league titles than América’s 13, and coach Miguel Herrera will become one of the most successful coaches in their storied history if he wins his third Liga MX crown with Las Águilas. Nevertheless, the pressure will be on a Monterrey side that last won the league in 2010. In that time, bitter rivals Tigres have lifted 5 Liga MX trophies.
Despite their economic might, both teams stumbled in the regular season. América finished 6th, and tied (7) almost as many games as they won (8). Monterrey, meanwhile, snuck into the Liguilla on the last day. Back-to-back wins over Tijuana and Atlas gave Rayados the 8th and final Liguilla spot, after they sat in 14th with just five matches to play.
Argentinean coach Antonio “Turco” Mohamed has been crucial to this revival. After firing ex-Pachuca tactician Diego Alonso, Rayados brought Mohamed back for his second spell at the helm. Monterrey have not lost since Mohamed’s return, and were on a 10-game winning streak before their FIFA Club World Cup Semifinal against Liverpool. Known for his great man-management, “Turco” has turned a team that was bereft of confidence into a self-assured group that will fight for the Liga MX title. This change in mentality has been underpinned by a switch from the defensive tactics of Alonso to a more expansive 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 formation.
Like Mohamed, Herrera is enjoying his second stint in charge of Los Azulcremas. Despite América’s status as one of Mexico’s two biggest clubs along with Chivas, this has been Herrera’s most difficult season with Las Águilas. Key players Agustín Marchesín, Mateus Uribe and Edson Álvarez left for Europe in the offseason, leaving Herrera to reconstruct the spine of his side. Furthermore, “Piojo” has been hampered by injuries to important players such as Nico Castillo and Giovanni Dos Santos. Nevertheless, Herrera has devised a 4-4-2 formation that puts pressure on opponents through incisive wing play and forward thrusts from star midfielder Guido Rodríguez. In attack, young Uruguayan sensation Federico Viñas has stepped up in this Liguilla, striking in the second legs of the quarterfinal against Tigres and the semifinal against Morelia.
The key factor in this final will be how both teams adjust to the three-week break between the second leg of the semifinals and the first leg of the final. Rayados are currently in Qatar contesting the FIFA Club World Cup. If they acheive a podium place in the Middle East, they will come back to Mexico with huge momentum. However, the 15-hour journey and 9-hour time difference between Monterrey and Doha will be difficult to recover from. Furthermore, the 2nd leg of the final will be the 9th match in 37 days for Rayados, meaning that they will have heavy legs compared to the more rested America players. However, Monterrey have one of the deepest and most talented squads in Mexico, and should be able to handle the travel and saturated schedule. As a result, their superior match sharpness will work in their favor. Another factor to consider is América’s struggles when coming off of long periods of inactivity this season. Los Azulcremas have dropped points in all three of their matches after an international break so far this season, including a 2-1 home loss to Tigres in the quarterfinal first leg.
With both teams possessing some of the best players and two of the finest coaches in Mexico, mental and historical factors could end up tipping the balance in América’s favor. Their winning history and popularity means that Las Águilas always consider themselves favorites, regardless of who they are playing. Under Herrera, América have developed a “big-game” mentality, and will believe that they are destined to win this final after overcoming first-leg deficits in the quarterfinals against Tigres and the semifinals against Morelia. Monterrey, meanwhile, are hampered by their long title drought. Furthermore, since their last league title they have lost finals at home against Pachuca (2016) and Tigres (2017) when they were favored to win. These losses have notably increased the pressure from Monterrey’s demanding fanbase, with the imposing Estadio BBVA now quick to turn on their players if things aren’t going well. As a result, Rayados may feel fortunate to be playing the second leg of this final at America’s Estadio Azteca.
While they won’t be burdened by memories of those second-leg capitulations against Pachuca and Tigres, playing the second leg in Mexico City could prove to be more challenging for Rayados. Clubs from Mexico’s north traditionally struggle when playing in the altitude of Mexico City, and Monterrey are no different. Their last victory in Mexico’s capital came in round 14 of the Apertura 2017 against Pumas. Furthermore, Rayados haven’t won in their last 12 visits to América. Even if they can bring a first-leg advantage to the Estadio Azteca, the altitude, heavy legs, and the weight of history all mean that América should lift the Apertura 2019 title.
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