Young player to watch: Rodrigo Huescas, Cruz Azul
There’s problems behind-the-scenes for Cruz Azul, which we’ll get into later, but that probably won’t stop the progress of the 19-year-old Rodrigo Huescas. With 15 appearances last season, the young Mexican was deployed all over the field, at times playing as a fullback, wing-back, winger and midfielder.
Well-rounded in both the defense and attack, there have been no lack of rumors regarding European teams that are tracking him. Who knows, by the time July or August rolls around, he might not even be a part of the Cruz Azul roster that recently sent Eredivisie champion Santiago Gimenez abroad last year.
Top storylines: New rules, ownership carousel, impact of Gold Cup and Leagues Cup
Constantly shifting and adjusting their structure, Liga MX announced a number of alterations in May for 2023-24, which include: A financial prize (and spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and Leagues Cup knockout stage) for the year-long points leader, a drop in foreign roster spots from eight to seven, and reducing the amount of playoff invitations from 12 teams to 10.
For the playoffs, the top six in the league table will automatically qualify for a spot in the quarterfinal stage. The winner of a play-in match between the No. 7 seed and the No. 8 seed will gain an additional quarterfinal invitation. For the final quarterfinal invitation, the loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 match-up would then take on the winner of No. 9 vs. No. 10 in a format similar to the NBA’s play-in format.
Promotion and relegation for Mexico’s top flight, at time of writing, remains paused. In order for pro/rel to return, there needs to be at least four certified teams in the second division that could then be eligible to fight for promotion.
Also of note is the aim to create a new framework to sell clubs that share ownership with another Mexican team. Atlas, Santos Laguna, Queretaro and Mazatlan have announced interest in the process to bring in new owners.
Liga MX fans should keep an eye on the impact of the Gold Cup and Leagues Cup as well. 18 Liga MX players in total are at the Gold Cup, with 14 representing Mexico. If El Tri were to make the Gold Cup final, that would then mean that 14 of those players from eight Liga MX clubs would be unavailable from Weeks 1 through 3 of the season.
And after Week 3? The expanded Leagues Cup tournament that features all Liga MX and MLS clubs will run from July 12-August 19. For key Mexican national team figures that play for title-contending clubs at the Leagues Cup, they may not have much energy left once Liga MX returns for a condensed season in late August.
Team-by-team preview (in alphabetical order)
CLUB AMÉRICA
2023 Clausura regular season: 2nd place, 9W-7D-1L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Semifinalists
They’ve got a new manager in charge with Andre Jardine, the addition of Mexican national team fullback Kevin Alvarez, and the return of Liga MX’s 2022-23 MVP Henry Martin. They should be title-contenders once again, but there’s a chance that they’ll have a slow start without four players (the most in Liga MX) who are involved in the ongoing Gold Cup.
ATLAS
2023 Clausura regular season: 9th place, 4W-9D-4L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Quarterfinalists
The Benjamin Mora experiment began to pay off before the summer, and given another preseason for his players to understand his methods, Atlas will be expected to make small improvements in the Apertura. They also still have the most entertaining player in Liga MX, the aforementioed Julian Quiñones.
ATLETICO SAN LUIS
2023 Clausura regular season: 12th place, 5W-4D-8L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Quarterfinalists
It’s now time for another rebuild season for the team that has made a number of roster adjustments and also seen Andre Jardine, their former manager, leave for Club America. Hoping to maintain some of the magic that pushed them to the quarterfinals last season, assistant coach Gustavo Leal has since been given Jardine’s position.
CHIVAS
2023 Clausura regular season: 3rd place, 10W-4D-3L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Finalists
Tantalizingly close to winning a title in Veljko Paunovic’s first season, Chivas are now aiming to bring the signing of the summer through Erick Gutierrez. As noted above, only some small details are needed for the player that could elevate Chivas to a possible trophy in the Apertura.
CRUZ AZUL
2023 Clausura regular season: 8th place, 7W-3D-7L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Play-in round
There’s turmoil, even before the start of the Apertura. Club manager Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti and Cruz Azul front office staff aren’t meeting eye-to-eye on matters regarding their current roster upheaval. With lots of squad changes, and some possible tension behind the scenes, it’s tough to see them exceeding what they did in the Clausura. Oh, and, they’re expected to play Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF when the Leagues Cup starts in late July.
FC JUAREZ
2023 Clausura regular season: 16th place, 3W-6D-8L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Didn’t qualify
Sure, by the time the season kicks off, they will likely have the most serious roster overhaul of the summer, but Juarez are now looking younger and with some very interesting reinforcements. The additions of intriguing players like Haret Ortega, Sebastian Bouquet, dual-national Sebastian Saucedo, and veteran winger Aviles Hurtado, could make this a surprisingly tough team.
LEON
2023 Clausura regular season: 6th place, 8W-6D-3L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Play-in round
Expect the 2023 Concacaf Champions League winners to be motivated by their international success from earlier this year. Led by up-and-coming manager Nicolas Larcamon, Leon’s defensive rigidity, and the signing of Uruguayan forward Federico Viñas, should make them contenders in the Apertura.
MAZATLAN
2023 Clausura regular season: 18th place, 2W-1D-14L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Didn’t Qualify
It’s only up from here, right? Putting their hopes on the shoulders of 41-year-old Spanish manager Ismael Rescalvo, who was hired in May, Mazatlan and their new coach will need to immediately shore up their defense that allowed a Clausura-worst total of 41 goals in 17 games.
MONTERREY
2023 Clausura regular season: 1st place, 13W-1D-3L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Semifinalists
Head coach Victor Manuel Vucetich didn’t reach expectations and was fired after his semifinal exit, and in his place, Monterrey ownership simply looked down the regular season standings and picked up the manager who left second-place Club America, Fernando Ortiz. With a more attack-minded style of play, and with plenty of talent available, they’ll easily be in the title race.
NECAXA
2023 Clausura regular season: 17th place, 3W-5D-9L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Didn’t qualify
With a recent history of lowkey clever signings that have been made once again this offseason, and the summer hiring former Venezuela national team manager Rafael Dudamel, Necaxa should at least aim to be in the playoff conversation this season. It does take time for most coaches to adjust to Liga MX though, so we’ll see how the first few weeks go for Dudamel.
PACHUCA
2023 Clausura regular season: 5th place, 10W-1D-6L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Play-in round
As mentioned earlier, there’s reason to worry about a Pachuca side that let go of too many key players, including Cristian Arango. That said, that’s typically the norm for the academy-dependent team that might have more diamonds that have yet to be unearthed.
PUEBLA
2023 Clausura regular season: 11th place, 6W-2D-9L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Play-in round
Not much to say about a Puebla setup that are still trying to find their footing in the post-Larcamon era. The No. 1 priority for coach Eduardo Arce is bolstering the leaky defense that was on the wrong end of a large handful of high-scoring results last season.
PUMAS
2023 Clausura regular season: 14th place, 5W-3D-9L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Didn’t qualify
If there’s any hope for Pumas, it’s that new manager Antonio Mohamed stepped in during March and closed out the Clausura with a decent 2W-1D-1L record. It wasn’t enough to make the playoffs, but now with a full preseason under him, and the expected addition of a compelling signing like defender Lisandro Magallan, Pumas look set to improve.
QUERETARO
2023 Clausura regular season: 10th place, 4W-8D-5L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Didn’t qualify (due to being last in coefficient table)
Goalscorer Camilo Sanvezzo is back, flashy winger Joaquin Montecinos has joined the roster, and fans are now officially back in the Estadio Corregidora for a full season after a year-long ban. Can Queretaro turn into a true playoff contender? If the frontline can improve their numbers from last season, they’ll be a team to follow.
SANTOS LAGUNA
2023 Clausura regular season: 13th place, 5W-4D-8L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Quarterfinalists
Santos Laguna don’t tend to struggle for long periods of time in their modern era. Pedro Aquino and Duvan Vergara have the capabilities to be the Liga MX signings of the summer, and up top, there’s still hope for a breakout season in former Newcastle United loanee Santiago Muñoz.
TIGRES
2023 Clausura regular season: 7th place, 7W-4D-6L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Champions
After winning last season’s title, the summer’s Campeon de Campeones, and signing promising midfielder Eugenio Pizzuto, is another Liga MX championship next? They’ll likely come close, but it’s also difficult to feel fully confident in a team that was erratic last season, and with three different managers too.
TIJUANA
2023 Clausura regular season: 15th place, 3W-7D-7L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Didn’t qualify
As per usual, Tijuana are rolling the dice with a long list of roster changes. Led by former Mexico manager Miguel “Piojo” Herrera for another season, there’s reason for some optimism with much-needed reinforcements like veteran goalkeeper Jesus “Chuy” Corona and Paraguayan goalscorer Carlos Gonzalez.
TOLUCA
2023 Clausura regular season: 4th place, 9W-5D-3L
2023 Clausura playoffs: Quarterfinalists
Tactically astute with his possession-led approach, manager Ignacio “Nacho” Ambriz should be able to maintain his team’s status as contenders in the Apertura. The acquisition of dual-national and Liga MX champion right-back Mauricio Isais could also be one the smarter signings of the offseason.
