Liga MX

 
The semifinals are now set. Four teams advance for a chance to capture the Clausura 2013 title. Enough will be written about these teams and their intriguing match-ups in the coming days. Before we move on, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the seasons and the outlooks of the recently departed.

 
The Mexican Liguilla starts tonight. This end-of-the season tournament has historically proven to be anyone’s for the taking. It feels especially true this season as none of these remaining teams could be easily discounted. A case could be made for any of the eight to capture the title, albeit some easier than others. Let’s look at the four quarterfinal match-ups that will play out over the next five days:

(1) Tigres v. (8) Monterrey

Schedule:

Wednesday, May 8 at 7:00 (CT), Estadio Tecnologico

One game remains on the schedule before the playoffs commence in this Clausura 2013 season. Normally, this would be a weekend highlighted with high pressure matches that would determine where teams would fall with regard to the craziness of postseason play. This is not so much the case this time around. Seven of eight spots in the playoffs are already locked down and the eighth is a virtual lock (Monterrey would need a monumental collapse to blow it). By taking playoff qualification off the table, there is little to look forward to in these final matches of the regular season.

The finals of the Concacaf Champions League begin with the first leg later tonight. Santos Laguna host Monterrey in what will surely prove to be a compelling match-up. I write this with confidence due to the fact that we've seen them face each other so many times.

 
Nothing motivates more than avoiding relegation

 
The Clausura 2013 campaign is winding itself down to its conclusion. And with the end comes the beginning of the short tournament of crazy, the Liguilla. While a few teams have separated out and made themselves locks for the postseason (and serious contenders for the title), the majority of the league is still looking to qualify and legitimize hopes for a trophy.

 
Managing a Liga MX squad qualifies largely as a thankless position. Very little of the success and nearly all of the failures of the team are laid at your feet. The only security in the job comes from the knowledge that someone else is likely to give you another shot after your untimely firing. The shark tank that is Mexican sports media, the abhorrent level of the league’s officiating and the often delusional fan expectations serve as icing on the cake.

Wrote a review of Estadio Azteca for Stadium Journey, Read it here.

 
All good things must come to an end. Things that take me an incredible amount of time and are exceptionally high in fat are easier to end than others. I’m officially putting Torta Tuesday to bed this week. It’s been a good run, but it’s also kind of hard to run on account of all the tortas.

Every week I post a Game of the Week preview at Pancho Villa's Army. Give it a read.