The stage is set for Liga MX's playoff stage, and this time, fans and experts surely have things to look forward to when all the games begin.
The only playoff stage to take place this year will surely leave fans asking for more, especially due to the presence of interesting matches such as the Mexican Clásico between Guadalajara and América. This game will have a controversial bonus: Guadalajara negotiated behind closed doors with local authorities to have fans inside the stadium, and that could be a deciding factor when both ties come to an end.
If that was not enough reason to get fans going, the two-legged duel between Tigres and Cruz Azul could also give experts a good idea on who could make it to the finals, as both teams have proven themselves as worthy title contenders in the past.
Let's have a look at each quarterfinal tie before they begin.
León (1) vs Puebla (8) - The team coached by Ignacio Ambriz won the top spot by a mile, which also earned them a bye weekend. Now, León will face Puebla, the big winners of the wild card stage, who came from behind to beat Monterrey after penalties. The first leg is set to take place at Puebla's Cuauhtémoc Stadium on Wednesday, and the return leg will be played at León's Nou Camp.
Pumas UNAM (2) vs Pachuca (7) - Pumas only lost one game in the regular season, which earned them the second spot in the standings. Meanwhile, Pachuca had to go through the wild card stage, where they emphatically defeated Santos. The first leg will be held at Pachuca on Thursday, while the return leg is set to be played this Sunday at Pumas' Estadio Olímpico Universitario.
América (3) vs Guadalajara (6) - What else can you say about this game? A top-notch tie between the most popular teams in Mexico, which will be highlighted by the presence of fans at Guadalajara's stadium. The controversial first leg will be taking place on Wednesday at Guadalajara, while América will host the return leg on Saturday at the legendary Azteca Stadium.
Cruz Azul (4) vs Tigres UANL (5) - The last quarterfinal tie will see the always-eager Cruz Azul facing one of the teams that dominated the past decade. Tigres will host the first leg of the tie at El Volcán, and the return leg is scheduled to be played at Azteca Stadium on Sunday. Will this be the year when Cruz Azul end their hoodoo? Let's wait and see what goes down on this tie.
Liga MX's Quarterfinals schedule, first leg
