After an exciting regular season, eight teams have made it through to the Liga MX playoffs. This stage of the season usually provides fans with great matches, since teams give everything to earn the chance to play for the Apertura trophy.
For those who are not familiar with the playoff format, it is similar to that of the NBA playoffs. Every pairing will watch each team host one game, being the top seeded club the one to close the series at home. The eight teams qualified for this stage are: Club América, Tigres, Atlas, Toluca, Chiapas FC, Monterrey, Pachuca and Pumas UNAM, who barely earned their playoff spot during the final week of the regular season. The pairings and their dates were determined as follows.
Club America (1) vs Pumas UNAM (8)
The Apertura 2014 leaders get to this stage not as confident as six weeks ago, when they sealed their playoff spot. The men led by Antonio Mohamed will have to validate their credentials against Pumas UNAM, in one of the Mexican league's most incarnate rivalries. On the other hand, UNAM get to this stage with nothing to lose, and will try to eliminate America for the second time in seven playoff meetings.
1st Leg: Wednesday, Nov. 26, 11:00 p.m. EST, Olympic Stadium.
2nd leg: Saturday, Nov. 29, 6:00 p.m. EST, Azteca Stadium.
Tigres UANL (2) vs Pachuca (7)
Ricardo Ferreti is an expert when it comes to playing "Liguillas". The seasoned coach will try to win his second championship with the Monterrey-based club, and will put his team's fate in the hands of Uruguayan international Egidio Arévalo, Joffre Guerrón, Emmanuel Villa and goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman, recently called up with Argentina's National Team. For Pachuca, this will give them a chance to confirm a great 2014 for them. During this year's first semester, the club reached the Finals against León, but were not able to win it all, and this time reaching the final games will be their top priority.
1st Leg: Wednesday, Nov. 26, 9:06 p.m. EST, Hidalgo Stadium.
2nd Leg: Saturday, Nov. 29, 8:00 p.m. EST, UANL Stadium a.k.a. "El Volcán".
Atlas FC (3) vs Monterrey (6)
This series might show some of the best football in the Mexican league playoffs. Atlas, the red and black side, will try to end their 63-year draught without a championship, and Tomas Boy's men will have to show their best against Monterrey, who have been struggling the past couple of weeks to get good results. Atlas will rely on Chilean midfielder Rodrigo Millar and rising newcomer Alfonso Gonzalez, while Monterrey may want Dorlan Pabon and Humberto Suazo all the responsibility to get them to the semi-final stage.
1st leg: Thursday, Nov. 27, 8:00 p.m. EST, Tecnologico Stadium.
2nd leg: Sunday, Nov. 30, 7:00 p.m. EST, Jalisco Stadium.
CD Toluca (4) vs Chiapas FC (5)
The last playoff series to analyze brings the underdog, Chiapas, against one of the winningest teams in recent years, Toluca. Chiapas' coach Sergio Bueno was able to put together an aggresive team, with quality players like Emiliano Armenteros and Matías Vuoso, giving them the chance to make it to the playoff stage for the first time in almost ten years. With everything to win, Chiapas may end up surprising everyone, especially Toluca, who topped the standings with America until the final week of the regular season, when they lost to Tigres. If Toluca wants to go through to the semi-finals, coach Jose Cardozo will have to adjust a team that can't rely on up-and-coming striker Pablo Velazquez, who seems to choke during hard times.
1st leg: Thursday, Nov. 27, 10:00 p.m. EST, Zoque Stadium.
2nd leg: Sunday, Nov. 27, 1:00 p.m. EST, Nemesio Diez Stadium.
