The Mexican tournament is almost at its mid-point. Who are the contenders? Who are the pretenders?
Week 8 will kick off with an intriguing match between Necaxa and Santos Laguna, who have seen their fortunes almost completely reversed in a rather short amount of time - Necaxa loom as favorites for the Friday game despite having less points and wins than Santos Laguna.
Saturday's big match pits Jaguares and Chivas, in a contest marked by a war of words between the feuding organizations. Jaguares will look to shake off five consecutive league losses.
Finally, Sunday's belter features Toluca and America, who are both reeling off of international losses, América coming from a 3-1 Argentinos Juniors defeat in the Libertadores, and Toluca taking a 1-0 punch at home from Monterrey in the CCL.
Half of the Clausura 2011 is gone, and the best coverage is on LSTV!
Who would've thunk that Necaxa, after that terrible start to the season, would be able to beat both América and Toluca? Furthermore, who would've guessed a rude gesture was enough to see Ruben Omar Romano dismissed from Santos Laguna?
A couple of weeks ago, predicting this match was a cinch. Necaxa was the country's worst team, whereas Santos, two-time runners-up in 2010, were moving right along.
Now, the sudden reversal in fortunes sees Necaxa rising and Santos reeling. Diego Cocca, the team's new manager, had less than 24 hours to prepare for the CONCACAF Champions League match vs. Cruz Azul. The result? a 2-0 loss.
Necaxa, despite the newly found confidence, are fully aware that a loss to Santos would be a double whammy of sorts, as the green-and-whites lost to Queretaro last week, Necaxa's rival in the race not to be relegated.
History favors Santos Laguna, who have not lost to Necaxa in a league match since 2005.
Pumped from an emotional victory against Santos Laguna last weekend in Torreon, Queretaro return home to face another big opponent: Cruz Azul.
The home team can take solace in knowing that their opponents could face quite a bit of fatigue stemming from their mid-week clash in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Cruz Azul striker Javier Orozco ended a five-month dry spell on Wednesday when he scored the second goal of the match for his team and sealed the victory.
No word on how many starters will be rested for the Week 8 clash, as almost all of the team's regular starting 11 were on display against Santos Laguna.
Querétaro's emotional rollercoaster after the dismissal of three players from the team and big win on the road could give them a push against Cruz Azul, a team they haven't beaten just three times since 1993.
A seemingly improbable war of words has surrounded this match, as Jaguares have taken it upon themselves to heat up the atmosphere surrounding the fixture.
This week's media presser included a poster of Chivas midfielder Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista being slapped in the face with a red glove (the same kind Bautista usually wears on the pitch) with the inscription "Ready to slap Chivas on Saturday?"
Bautista played for Chiapas during his hiatus from Chivas, and is widely regarded as a bad investment for the jungle-dwelling team. Meanwhile, Chiapas have bigger things to worry about, as they've lost five in a row in the league and were slammed 4-0 in Brazil during their Copa Libertadores match with Internacional.
Chivas have apparently solved their goalscoring woes thanks to the excellent pairing of Erick Torres and Jorge Mora, two players whose combined age is 35, or four more than Bautista.
Their 4-1 thrashing of Pachuca last weekend have them buzzing, and confirmation of their potential uprising will surely take place in Chiapas.
Following last weekend's disappointing 0-0 end to the Monterrey derby, Tigres will stay in the city and host Puebla, whose new manager Hector Hugo Eugui got them three valuable points last weekend against Jaguares.
Tigres' formidable campaign is due to the newfound balance in coach Ricardo Ferretti's defensive tactics with the incredibly talented offensive players the Monterrey side have signed over the last winter.
A win, coupled with a Pumas loss, would put Tigres in the top spot of the league table by week's end. In their last five head-to-head matches, Tigres have lost just once to Puebla, a 1-2 home defeat in the Clausura 2009.
Puebla will once again rely on Ecuadorian striker Felix Borja to provide its main element of offensive force, while the defense, once a fortitude of this team, will slowly have to find its balance against a team that will push it to its limit.
A red alert has taken over Pachuca's once rosy panorama, as a season of rebuilding with some expectation for playoff football has taken a sharp downward turn.
Should Pablo Marini not pick up all three points up for grabs this Saturday, his head will surely be on a platter following a 4-1 loss to Chivas last weekend.
He'll be without attacker Faustino Arizala, still recovering from injury. In front of his Pachuca team will be a San Luis squad that is also reeling after a series of bad results in both league and Libertadores Cup play.
The preamble will most likely dictate a match in which Pachuca will be the aggressor but will not display the usual free-form attacking style it usually portrays, whereas San Luis will most likely revert to its usual organization-rich 4-4-2 scheme that will shield it from harm.
Morelia's huge win at the Estadio Azteca last Sunday has them near the top of the table, looking down and laughing at detractors that called for manager Tomas Boy to resign or be fired.
Atlante, in a complete state of reconstruction, still search for their white whale: winning outside of home. Miguel Herrera's offensive tactics have not translated well out of the Estadio Quintana Roo, where the Potros are still winless.
A home win would mean three in a row for the Monarchs, and the lack of injuries or suspensions means it will have a full deck against the visitors. Atlante will most likely put two strikers on the pitch, Venezuelan Giancarlo Maldonado and former Pumas star Francisco Fonseca.
A win would also break the increasing trend of Atlante beating the Michoacan-based team: they've won four in a row, five out of six and have not lost to Morelia since 2007.
The league leaders will host one of the tournament's worst teams this Sunday, as Pumas face Estudiantes Tecos at the Ciudad Universitaria.
The Pumas will attempt to stop Argentine striker Mauro Cejas from scoring. Cejas caused a stir when he declared that he would love to gain Mexican citizenship in order to play for the national team - one that features Manchester United striker Javier Hernández.
Meanwhile, Pumas' front line is also comprised of South American talent in Martin Bravo and Dante Lopez, as the team awaits the return of Juan Carlos Cacho and relishes in the emergence of young Javier Cortes, who is already being compared to former UNAM star and current West Ham player Pablo Barrera.
Injuries and suspensions will force Estudiantes to put their second-choice 'keeper, Juan Carlos Garcia in goal, as well as defender Cesar Moreno.
This defensive vulnerability will clearly give the edge to the home team, which will keep its leadership of the country's proceedings with just a draw.
América's run of two straight losses in the league was compounded by a 3-1 shellacking in Argentina this Thursday, as the Eagles dropped from the top spot in their Copa Libertadores group.
Toluca, fresh off a CONCACAF Champions League loss to Monterrey, also deal with increased fatigue and a negative result in their recent memory. Toluca will surely remember a 7-2 loss to América during the Jesús Martínez days, which will make ardent fans sigh for Daniel Montenegro's recent drop in quality.
The growing rivalry comes in the face of Toluca's increased league success, which has it matching Club América's 10 league titles (although the yellow and blues say they have 14), and a 6-0 thrashing at the height of Toluca's power in 2003.
Now, both teams will want to assert themselves over the other in order to facilitate a stretch of league matches that is unkind to either organization. América will be without striker Matias Vuoso, suspended two matches for inappropriate conduct.
Saturday's big match pits Jaguares and Chivas, in a contest marked by a war of words between the feuding organizations. Jaguares will look to shake off five consecutive league losses.
Finally, Sunday's belter features Toluca and America, who are both reeling off of international losses, América coming from a 3-1 Argentinos Juniors defeat in the Libertadores, and Toluca taking a 1-0 punch at home from Monterrey in the CCL.
Half of the Clausura 2011 is gone, and the best coverage is on LSTV!
Who would've thunk that Necaxa, after that terrible start to the season, would be able to beat both América and Toluca? Furthermore, who would've guessed a rude gesture was enough to see Ruben Omar Romano dismissed from Santos Laguna?
A couple of weeks ago, predicting this match was a cinch. Necaxa was the country's worst team, whereas Santos, two-time runners-up in 2010, were moving right along.
Now, the sudden reversal in fortunes sees Necaxa rising and Santos reeling. Diego Cocca, the team's new manager, had less than 24 hours to prepare for the CONCACAF Champions League match vs. Cruz Azul. The result? a 2-0 loss.
Necaxa, despite the newly found confidence, are fully aware that a loss to Santos would be a double whammy of sorts, as the green-and-whites lost to Queretaro last week, Necaxa's rival in the race not to be relegated.
History favors Santos Laguna, who have not lost to Necaxa in a league match since 2005.
Pumped from an emotional victory against Santos Laguna last weekend in Torreon, Queretaro return home to face another big opponent: Cruz Azul.
The home team can take solace in knowing that their opponents could face quite a bit of fatigue stemming from their mid-week clash in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Cruz Azul striker Javier Orozco ended a five-month dry spell on Wednesday when he scored the second goal of the match for his team and sealed the victory.
No word on how many starters will be rested for the Week 8 clash, as almost all of the team's regular starting 11 were on display against Santos Laguna.
Querétaro's emotional rollercoaster after the dismissal of three players from the team and big win on the road could give them a push against Cruz Azul, a team they haven't beaten just three times since 1993.
A seemingly improbable war of words has surrounded this match, as Jaguares have taken it upon themselves to heat up the atmosphere surrounding the fixture.
This week's media presser included a poster of Chivas midfielder Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista being slapped in the face with a red glove (the same kind Bautista usually wears on the pitch) with the inscription "Ready to slap Chivas on Saturday?"
Bautista played for Chiapas during his hiatus from Chivas, and is widely regarded as a bad investment for the jungle-dwelling team. Meanwhile, Chiapas have bigger things to worry about, as they've lost five in a row in the league and were slammed 4-0 in Brazil during their Copa Libertadores match with Internacional.
Chivas have apparently solved their goalscoring woes thanks to the excellent pairing of Erick Torres and Jorge Mora, two players whose combined age is 35, or four more than Bautista.
Their 4-1 thrashing of Pachuca last weekend have them buzzing, and confirmation of their potential uprising will surely take place in Chiapas.
Following last weekend's disappointing 0-0 end to the Monterrey derby, Tigres will stay in the city and host Puebla, whose new manager Hector Hugo Eugui got them three valuable points last weekend against Jaguares.
Tigres' formidable campaign is due to the newfound balance in coach Ricardo Ferretti's defensive tactics with the incredibly talented offensive players the Monterrey side have signed over the last winter.
A win, coupled with a Pumas loss, would put Tigres in the top spot of the league table by week's end. In their last five head-to-head matches, Tigres have lost just once to Puebla, a 1-2 home defeat in the Clausura 2009.
Puebla will once again rely on Ecuadorian striker Felix Borja to provide its main element of offensive force, while the defense, once a fortitude of this team, will slowly have to find its balance against a team that will push it to its limit.
A red alert has taken over Pachuca's once rosy panorama, as a season of rebuilding with some expectation for playoff football has taken a sharp downward turn.
Should Pablo Marini not pick up all three points up for grabs this Saturday, his head will surely be on a platter following a 4-1 loss to Chivas last weekend.
He'll be without attacker Faustino Arizala, still recovering from injury. In front of his Pachuca team will be a San Luis squad that is also reeling after a series of bad results in both league and Libertadores Cup play.
The preamble will most likely dictate a match in which Pachuca will be the aggressor but will not display the usual free-form attacking style it usually portrays, whereas San Luis will most likely revert to its usual organization-rich 4-4-2 scheme that will shield it from harm.
Morelia's huge win at the Estadio Azteca last Sunday has them near the top of the table, looking down and laughing at detractors that called for manager Tomas Boy to resign or be fired.
Atlante, in a complete state of reconstruction, still search for their white whale: winning outside of home. Miguel Herrera's offensive tactics have not translated well out of the Estadio Quintana Roo, where the Potros are still winless.
A home win would mean three in a row for the Monarchs, and the lack of injuries or suspensions means it will have a full deck against the visitors. Atlante will most likely put two strikers on the pitch, Venezuelan Giancarlo Maldonado and former Pumas star Francisco Fonseca.
A win would also break the increasing trend of Atlante beating the Michoacan-based team: they've won four in a row, five out of six and have not lost to Morelia since 2007.
The league leaders will host one of the tournament's worst teams this Sunday, as Pumas face Estudiantes Tecos at the Ciudad Universitaria.
The Pumas will attempt to stop Argentine striker Mauro Cejas from scoring. Cejas caused a stir when he declared that he would love to gain Mexican citizenship in order to play for the national team - one that features Manchester United striker Javier Hernández.
Meanwhile, Pumas' front line is also comprised of South American talent in Martin Bravo and Dante Lopez, as the team awaits the return of Juan Carlos Cacho and relishes in the emergence of young Javier Cortes, who is already being compared to former UNAM star and current West Ham player Pablo Barrera.
Injuries and suspensions will force Estudiantes to put their second-choice 'keeper, Juan Carlos Garcia in goal, as well as defender Cesar Moreno.
This defensive vulnerability will clearly give the edge to the home team, which will keep its leadership of the country's proceedings with just a draw.
América's run of two straight losses in the league was compounded by a 3-1 shellacking in Argentina this Thursday, as the Eagles dropped from the top spot in their Copa Libertadores group.
Toluca, fresh off a CONCACAF Champions League loss to Monterrey, also deal with increased fatigue and a negative result in their recent memory. Toluca will surely remember a 7-2 loss to América during the Jesús Martínez days, which will make ardent fans sigh for Daniel Montenegro's recent drop in quality.
The growing rivalry comes in the face of Toluca's increased league success, which has it matching Club América's 10 league titles (although the yellow and blues say they have 14), and a 6-0 thrashing at the height of Toluca's power in 2003.
Now, both teams will want to assert themselves over the other in order to facilitate a stretch of league matches that is unkind to either organization. América will be without striker Matias Vuoso, suspended two matches for inappropriate conduct.
