Liga MX Playoff Picture: What do Club America, Club Tijuana and others need to do to make the Liguilla?

BetOdds Liga MX AmÃ©rica Cruz Azul Monterrey LeÃ³n Toluca Puebla Lobos BUAP Tigres UANL Atlas Santos Laguna Morelia Pumas UNAM Necaxa Tijuana QuerÃ©taro Veracruz Pachuca Guadalajara Puebla v Tigres UANL Morelia v Tijuana Pachuca v Atlas AmÃ©rica v Santos Laguna Monterrey v Necaxa Guadalajara v LeÃ³n Pumas UNAM v Toluca Lobos BUAP v Cruz Azul QuerÃ©taro v Veracruz

Las Aguilas and Xolos are two teams who still have work to do before they can begin planning for the postseason

The Liga MX playoff picture is looking much more clear after the penultimate weekend of the season.

A last-weekend showdown between Tijuana and Puebla will provide most of the drama. Otherwise, teams largely haveÂ their spots locked up already and can worry mostly about what their seed will look like.

GoalÂ takes a look at what each team needs to continue their pursuits of the title or earn an advantage with a better seed:

Several teams already have punched their ticket to the party.Â LeonÂ locked up its spot earlier this month as it continues its record winning streak.Â

Leon also has locked up its Superlider spot with TigresÂ dropping points against Puebla while using an alternate sideÂ between legs of the Concacaf Champions League final. That said, Tigres' spot in the postseason also is secure.

Tigres' crosstown rivalÂ MonterreyÂ also has cinched its playoff place.

This weekend sawÂ PachucaÂ join the club, by knocking off Atlas.Â Cruz AzulÂ booked its place simply by virtue of other results.

Heading into Sunday afternoon,Â Lobos BUAPÂ is technically still alive. It needs a victory over Cruz Azul, then a win over Toluca next week, plus a lot of help to make up a -10 goal difference. The dream is mathematically still alive but practically over.

With that,Â NecaxaÂ andÂ Club AmericaÂ will feel their places are secure. Necaxa held on for a 2-2 draw with Monterrey, while America knocked off Santos Laguna, 1-0. One point on the final weekend would lock up their places.

Tijuana and Puebla meet in the final weekend of the season in what looks like it will be a playoff decider. If Xolos win or draw in Estadio Caliente, they're onto the playoffs. If Puebla takes all three points, El Chielis and Co. will move into the postseason.

TolucaÂ fought back from two goals down against Pumas on Sunday but couldn't get the winner. The 2-2 draw put the Red Devils out of contention to extend their season past next weekend.

Santos Laguna's hopes lasted until the final weekend, but Los Guerreros' loss to America ended their outside chance at a playoff place.

Some of the league's 'grandes,' the four largest teams in the country historically won't be present at the big party. That includesÂ Pumas, who were eliminated in Jornada 15Â after a 2-1 loss to Cruz Azul andÂ Chivas,Â which saw Tomas Boy take over and continue the losing skid the club is on.

Atlas, QueretaroÂ andÂ MoreliaÂ also have no chance at the playoffs and are playing for nothing but pride.

Not that the Tiburones Rojos would've been in the playoff picture either way, but VeracruzÂ has zero points after being punished by FIFA. The clubÂ should go downÂ but may be able to pay a fee to continue on in the first division.

(1)Â Leon vs.Â (8) TijuanaÂ

(2) Tigres vs. (7) America

(3) Monterrey vs. (6) Necaxa

(4) Cruz Azul vs. (5) Pachuca

2019-04-28 23:00:04

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