Liga MX's relegation system is about to send one more team to the Ascenso MX Division. As of now, three teams have entered a gruesome battle between each other to keep their heads above water, and even if one of them is close to those spots that grant a place in the playoffs, their fate will be decided in the upcoming weeks.
The teams involved in this battler are Veracruz, a two-time Liga MX champion during the early days of the competition; Morelia, a team that's also fighting to win a spot in the Liga MX playoffs, and Chiapas, a team near the South end of the Mexican border which has been involved in problems away from the pitch.
The system
Before we enter into each team's schedule and chances of avoiding relegation, we have to know what we're dealing with here. Liga MX copied its relegation system from the Argentinean top flight, which is engineered to protect the most popular teams from being demoted. Liga MX's relegation system takes under consideration the two most recent seasons played, while adding the ongoing results from the current tournaments. Considering that there are two tournaments in each season (one starting in July, the other one in January), Liga MX officers consider six tournaments to decide which team gets relegated. The team with the least amount of points in those three years will have to play at least two tournaments in the Ascenso MX division.
Here's how the relegation table looks at the moment (Source: Liga MX's website)
Veracruz
A team involved in controversies on and off the pitch, Los Tiburones Rojos occupied the last spot of the relegation board for most of the season, until former manager Carlos Reinoso stepped down due to illness. New coach Juan Antonio Luna found the way to win games with this crew, but their upcoming games are, by far, the most complicated for any of these teams trying to stay alive, as they face Monterrey (ranked second) and the league leaders Tijuana away from home.
Former River Plate striker Daniel "Keko" Villalva will be the go-to guy for Veracruz during their upcoming games.
Chiapas
Los Jaguares were involved in a number of issues away from the pitch, which forced the players to threaten their owners to go on strike due to unpaid checks. The team coached by Sergio Bueno is under massive pressure, since they haven't been able to win any of their previous five games (two draws, three losses). With games against Santos (at home) and Atlas (away), Chiapas could very well become the new Ascenso MX team next weekend.
Goalkeeper Moisés Muñoz could go from stopping shots from Cristiano Ronaldo in the Club World Cup last December to being relegated in less than five months.
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Morelia
The only one of these teams that doesn't guarantee their presence in the Mexican top flight by winning their remaining games, Morelia has struggled for years to avoid relegation, but call it fate or luck, they always found a weaker team in the process. Interim coach Roberto Hernández seemed to have found the way of keeping Monarcas alive, but three draws and two losses out of their five most recent games have them sitting at the bottom of the table. Morelia plays against Pumas this weekend, with their fate being decided next week at the complicated BBVA Bancomer stadium, property of Monterrey.
Peruvian striker Raul Ruidiaz is still fighting to win the goal scoring title in the Clausura 2017 tournament. Morelia needs his goals more than ever!
If things don't change before next weekend, all of these teams could have their games re-scheduled to be played at the same time on May 6. Keep tuned in for more Liga MX info to find out!
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