Liga MX playoffs preview: Who will win the 2025 Clausura?

Liga MX’s regular season is now officially in the books, leaving 10 teams in the chase for the 2025 Clausura title.

Kicking things off first will be a play-in round over the next two weekends between seeds No. 7 and 10. The final two left from the preliminary stage will then join the top six from the table in May’s quarterfinal stage. With two legs for each knockout round matchup from the quarterfinals through the finals, the playoffs will then close out with the championship series on May 22 and 25.

Looking ahead to Mexican soccer’s always thrilling Liguilla, there’s no lack of storylines.

Will Club América make history with an unprecedented fourth consecutive title? Will top-of-the-table Toluca — often overshadowed by other historic clubs — claim their first Liga MX silverware in 15 years? Will the FIFA Club World Cup invitees have a strong showing ahead of the major summer tournament?

And what about the dark horses that regularly spoil the party in the unpredictable postseason?

Split up into three tiers, here is ESPN’s team-by-team preview for the Liga MX playoffs.

Tier 1: The title contenders

Regular season record: 9W-6D-2L (3rd place)
Number of league titles: 9

Road to playoffs

Following some behind-the-scenes drama with head coach Martin Anselmi leaving a briefly winless Cruz Azul for Porto in January, Los Cementeros responded by rapidly picking up the pace under new coach Vicente Sánchez with a 10-game undefeated run in Liga MX, the longest streak of the season currently.

Since a February loss to Tigres, Cruz Azul have yet to lose a match in either the Clausura or the Concacaf Champions Cup.

Biggest strength and weakness

The vibes are most definitely good for the team on a 14-game undefeated streak in all competitions that just won a $1 million prize as points leader for Liga MX’s full 2024-25 campaign. We’ll spend more time later in the article focusing on various statistics for other teams and players, but as for Cruz Azul, they simply have the most momentum.

And yet, if you’re looking for an Achilles’ heel, Cruz Azul can be a bit reckless. Of the top six, no club has racked up more fouls (13.5 per match) or yellow cards (42).

Player to watch

Here’s a trivia question: Which player has completed the most passes in the 2025 Clausura?

The answer is midfielder Carlos “Charly” Rodríguez with 790. The 28-year-old may not have lived up to the once lofty expectations that anticipated a European move, but at the Liga MX level, he’s among the most proactive when it comes to progressive passes (157) and passes in the opposition’s half (576).

Postseason prediction

Any apprehension about Cruz Azul being a cursed club will be fully exorcised with their second championship of the decade.

They’ve got momentum, a decent amount of roster depth, the clutch status as joint league-leaders of stoppage time goals (six), and some interesting tactical flexibility that can comfortably play a 3-5-2, 4-3-3, and more. With other key names like the agile Carlos Rotondi controlling the left flank and versatile commander Ignacio Rivero covering plenty of space, this could be the Liguilla to once again dream of.

Regular-season record: 11W-4D-2L (1st place)
Number of league titles: 10

Road to playoffs

Slight inconsistencies during the start to the year were eventually shaken off in a statement-making end to the regular season with a 6W-1D-0L record, as well as 12 goals from Paulinho.

Third in the all-time list of Liga MX trophies, but with nothing to show since 2010, Toluca and their raucous fanbase are now heading into the Liguilla as the league leaders in Mexican soccer.

Biggest strength and weakness

Let’s give a shoutout to their home form and fanbase. While clubs in more prominent cities and larger venues tend to steal the spotlight, the die-hard supporters of Los Diablos Rojos should also be given credit for consistently packing the boisterous Estadio Nemesio Díez, which has yet to host a loss in 2025.

On the field, and specifically in net, there are worries, though. Of the 10 teams that have qualified for the playoffs, Toluca are ranked last when it comes to goals prevented (-3.77). In the post-Tiago Volpi era, neither Pau López nor Luis Garcia have been convincing.

Player to watch

After a mixed bag with Chivas de Guadalajara from 2019-2023, winger Alexis Vega has now solidified a renaissance in his career following a 2024 return to his boyhood club. Since the start of last year, no player in Liga MX has collected more goal contributions (33) than Vega.

With nine goals and eight assists in 17 Clausura appearances, the Mexico international is one to follow.

Postseason prediction

Whether it be due to their vocal home crowd, the long list of opportunities from their shot-hungry frontline, or their status as the top four club with the most goals allowed (22), expect fireworks. That enthralling factor could end up making Paulinho or Vega club icons if a title is clinched, but it may also cost them without elite performances from either goalkeeper.

Regular-season record: 10W-4D-3L (2nd place)
Number of league titles: 16, most in Liga MX

Road to playoffs

A brilliant 9W-3D-1L record through March, a shaky start to April — possibly due to double duty in the Concacaf Champions Cup — and then an emphatic close to the regular season with a 5-0 thrashing of Mazatlan. Las Aguilas had more stumbles than expected, but even more pessimistic arguments were being made last season before they went on to win their third consecutive trophy. Is it a historic fourth next?

Biggest strength and weakness

Look no further than their defense. Manager André Jardine, who has earned five trophies in all competitions since 2023, solidified a backline that secured a league-best xGA (expected goals against) tally of 14.77. Between the sticks, credit is also due to trustworthy figures like Luis Malagón and Rodolfo Cota.

But up top, there are more questions than answers. Will striker Rodrigo Aguirre be 100% fit? Will other attackers like Diego Valdés, winger Brian Rodríguez, and forward Henry Martín return to the field on time from recent injuries? Does Jardine continue to stick with Víctor Dávila in a more central position up top?

Player to watch

No Club América player has had more goal contributions (five goals, six assists) than U.S. men’s national team winger Alejandro Zendejas. Although his production began to slow down in the spring, two assists in his last performance are a likely sign of more to come from the clever midfielder who has been one of the most important game-changers for Las Aguilas.

Are you watching, Mauricio Pochettino?

Postseason prediction

Jardine and his men will fall just short of four consecutive Liga MX titles. They’re arguably the best team in the Concacaf region, but had a handful of questionable attacking performances in April against playoff-caliber teams such as Cruz Azul (three times, believe it or not), Pachuca, and Monterrey.

Barring a fully fit frontline or Dávila being able to consistently elevate himself in crucial playoff moments, Las Aguilas likely won’t pull off a 17th trophy.

Tier 2: The underdogs

Regular-season record: 10W-3D-4L (4th place)
Number of league titles: 8

Road to playoffs

On Mar. 1, captain Guido Pizarro was impressive for 90+ minutes in a win over Necaxa that moved Tigres up to third in the standings with a 6W-1D-3L record, and then one day later, in a change that only Liga MX could conjure, the 35-year-old Argentine was selected as the new head coach.

Unexpectedly hanging up his boots and replacing the ousted Veljko Paunović, Pizarro has earned early success with qualification for the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals and also a big Clausura victory over rivals Monterrey, but still seems to be adapting with just two wins from his last five in Liga MX.

Biggest strength and weakness

Take any stats from a small sample size with a grain of salt, but after transitioning to a three/five-man backline system under Pizarro, Tigres have provided some of their best possession and passing numbers of the year. That makes sense under their coach, who thrived as a playmaker and distributor, but also set pieces have been a highlight.

All that said, who will lead as the starting striker? Club legend André-Pierre Gignac hasn’t played since February because of an injury, and as for his replacement, Nico Ibañez has two goals in 15 Clausura appearances.

Player to watch

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the ultimate x-factor in Liga MX: Nahuel Guzmán.

Probably the most entertaining goalkeeper on the planet, the Argentine has been seen attempting to defend a penalty with his back towards Monterrey’s Sergio Ramos, hiding under a tarp during a Liga MX final after being shown a red card, doing a magic trick during the Leagues Cup knockout round — and that’s all from just the last two years for the veteran that can implode or take charge in pivotal moments.

Antics aside, he is, in fact, a fantastic goalkeeper. In the 2024-25 campaign, Guzmán leads the league in goals prevented (5.28).

Postseason prediction

A disappointing Liguilla for Tigres will be the last run for aging heroes like Gignac or Guzmán.

Typically for Tigres over the last 15 years, a spot within Tier 1 would be the norm for the organization that has helped shift the epicenter of Mexican soccer up north. Nevertheless, this feels like a team that’s still stuck between generations. Guzmán himself also noted earlier in March that the team is currently in transition.

Pizarro has already moved on and become the coach, but will Gignac or Guzmán join him or the front office next?

Regular-season record: 8W-4D-5L (7th place)
Number of league titles: 5

Road to playoffs

It was a bumpy path for the star-heavy team that often failed to close out games, but even with reports of off-the-field drama brewing in Martín Demichelis’ locker room, Monterrey should be commended for three wins from the last four that secured a playoff invitation.

Unlike the aforementioned clubs, including rivals Tigres that beat them earlier this month, they’ll first need to get through the play-in round against Pachuca before the quarterfinals.

Biggest strength and weakness

Perhaps it’s due to daily interactions with imposing names like Ramos, Sergio Canales, Lucas Ocampos, Héctor Moreno, and Óliver Torres, but there is a grit to the squad that leads the league in successful duels (54.7%) and tackles (50.1%). The team also does well with winning the ball back in the attacking third.

But that energy does seem to have a limit. Of the playoff teams, only Necaxa have allowed more goals after the 75th minute than Los Rayados, who have allowed eight. It’s a worrisome trend for a team that doesn’t trail too often but can then find themselves immediately needing to self-correct.

Player to watch

All eyes will be on Canales, that is, if he returns. Initially injured by breaking a glass door after reports of an argument with Demichelis in April, Monterrey then announced two weeks later that he had suffered a separate muscle injury that has since kept him out of matches.

Still leading his team in goal contributions (six goals, six assists), Canales’ possible return will be a major talking point for those who love the telenovela-like story arcs that permeate into Mexican soccer.

Postseason prediction

Leaning into the theatre of it all for the team that has the flashiest names in Liga MX, Monterrey will either win it all or crash out far too early.

For the skeptics, who would point out the black cat that ran on the field in their final regular season game that featured a Ramos injury, an early exit would be par for the course for the big spenders that have done everything right, except win a Liga MX trophy in the 2020s.

For the optimists, Monterrey’s grit and possession-heavy style of play has now had enough time under Demichelis to not only flex in the Liguilla but also the Club World Cup.

Regular-season record: 10W-1D-6L (5th place)
Number of league titles: 3

Road to playoffs

With promising manager Nicolás Larcamón at the helm, Necaxa had a questionable start with three losses from their first five before closing things out with a decent 8W-1D-3L record. Surprisingly strong away from home, and carried by 11 goals from Diber Cambindo, Necaxa punched above their weight and kept pace with many of the best in Liga MX.

Not bad from Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who have a stake in the team.

Biggest strength and weakness

The easy analysis would be to simply point to Cambindo as the strength, but what makes Necaxa especially interesting is that of the top five clubs in the standings, no team has had more players scoring at least one goal (13) than Necaxa. Cambindo is the star of the show, but he’s clearly not alone.

Similar to Monterrey, though, there are questions about how Larcamón can manage the final stages of matches. Including all Liga MX teams, and not just those who qualified for the playoffs, Necaxa are the second-worst when it comes to goals allowed (nine) after the 75th minute — not exactly a great stat for a team that’s third overall in total minutes with a lead.

Player to watch

A well-deserved nod to former River Plate midfielder José Paradela, who has emerged with eight goals and seven assists across 17 matches.

The Argentine is tied for second in Liga MX with Monterrey’s Jesús Corona in assists, tied for fourth overall with chances created (40), and also tied for fourth for shots on target (22). It’s likely only a matter of time before a prominent Mexican team takes a chance on him.

Postseason prediction

It won’t be the Hollywood-like ending with a title that Rob and Ryan dream of, but a competitive Liguilla run should be a platform for growth in the Larcamón era.

For a club and manager that can make their pieces greater than the sum of their parts, the playoffs should prove to be an advertisement for the organization that can continue to attract players through their trademark low-key but clever moves.

Regular-season record: 9W-3D-5L (6th place)
Number of league titles: 8

Road to playoffs

With James Rodríguez as the decisive No. 10, León were at first flying high with a brilliant record of 8W-2D-0L that made them look like title-contenders. Then rolled around a dip in March that seemed to be strengthened by the news that the team would be removed from the Club World Cup due to multi-ownership.

Currently being appealed through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), one couldn’t blame the players for being frustrated in their ensuing run with just one win from their last seven.

Biggest strength and weakness

If you can call this a strength, the silver lining for the team that has been poor in recent weeks is that they have yet to be blown out of the water. Even in their bad run this spring, they’ve only lost one game by more than two goals and are still fourth-best in Liga MX when it comes to fewest minutes trailing a game.

That said, bringing back the vibes talk from earlier, the mood must be bleak for León since March. To make things even more challenging, Rodríguez was shown a red card in their final game of the regular season, impacting his immediate role in the quarterfinals.

Player to watch

Rodríguez is the easy answer. At the time of writing, there are no details regarding how long his suspension will be for, possibly giving him an opportunity for at least an appearance in the second leg of the quarterfinal against Cruz Azul. Even with a limited role, he’ll make his presence known with his play-making and incisive distribution.

If he’s unavailable for both legs, that could spell doom for León.

Postseason prediction

All signs point to an immediate exit in the quarterfinals.

Even if CAS rule in León’s favor and gives them an emotional boost, Rodríguez’s absence in at least one game against Cruz Azul will be the deciding factor for the team that has thrived with the Colombian captain in the starting XI. A heartbreaking ending for what at first looked like a possible championship before a Club World Cup that’s now in doubt.

Tier 3: The long shots

Regular-season record: 8W-4D-5L (8th place)
Number of league titles: 7

Road to playoffs

With head coach Guillermo Almada once again giving the most amount of minutes in the league to under-24 players — according to the league’s rules that mandate a minimum threshold for players born after 2001 — Pachuca dipped through a couple of rough patches that led to a lackluster finish with a draw at home and a 2-1 loss to Atlético de San Luis in the final week of the regular season.

Now up against Monterrey in the play-in, it’ll be a fascinating battle between some of Mexico’s brightest young stars vs. Liga MX’s marquee luminaries.

Biggest strength and weakness

As per usual, it’s all about the never-ending generation of talent that seems to unearth a new prospect that catches opponents off guard during every playoff run. Elias Montiel, a 19-year-old midfielder with 14 appearances in 2025, seems primed to be that name.

Thanks to so many eager prospects wanting to make their mark, it’s no wonder that Pachuca are leading the league in take-ons (427), which also means that they’re second in Liga MX when it comes to possessions lost (2,340). The team does well to collect a long list of recoveries, but it’s still a risk when opponents catch them in transition.

Player to watch

Part of the success of Pachuca is surrounding the youth with veterans who buy into the club’s philosophy, and of those experienced names, none has been as effective on the field as Venezuelan striker Salomón Rondón.

Nine goals and three assists in hand, the powerful forward will be a headache for any backline.

Postseason prediction

A remarkable performance or two from a young player will help land a move to Europe this summer. Sure, the club would likely prefer a championship, but part of the business plan for Los Tuzos is to help fund their academy and organization by catapulting the next generation onto larger platforms. Montiel seems the most likely, but keep an eye on 18-year-old Juan Sigala or 21-year-old Jorge Berlanga.

And of course, keep an eye on them at the Club World Cup as well.

Regular-season record: 6W-3D-8L (10th place)
Number of league titles: 7

Road to playoffs

After a forgettable 3W-2D-5L record that featured four defeats in a row, new head coach Efraín Juárez stepped in during March and slightly helped resettle things with a 3W-1D-3L record that narrowly qualified Pumas for the postseason.

Despite a 2-1 loss to Tigres in the final week that kept them level on points with 11th-place Chivas, Pumas snuck into the play-in round thanks to a better goal differential.

Biggest strength and weakness

Like other teams that have coaches stepping in during the middle of the season, the sample size is small, but Pumas under Juárez are now winning more duels and focusing on higher percentage shots within the 18-yard box.

The bad news? Many of their underlying numbers haven’t really improved. Once again, take this with a grain of salt, but of the five matches this season that produced the highest xG tally, just one of them has been with their new coach.

Player to watch

Where would Pumas be without their well-rounded midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla? Able to do a little bit of everything in the heart of the XI, the Panama international leads the Mexico City team in chances created (26) but is also fourth in recoveries (58) of the ball and total shots (17).

If Pumas go through the latter stages, it’ll likely be due to the production of the Golden Ball winner from the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Postseason prediction

They’ll get past FC Juárez in the first play-in game, but will fail to qualify for the quarterfinals after a loss to either Pachuca or Monterrey.

Pumas’ new coach is still figuring things out in the youthful squad of his own, and based on the little evidence that hasn’t radically changed anything since the last era, the upcoming Liguilla may better serve as a tryout for an additional rebuild that could continue to unfold this summer.

Regular-season record: 6W-6D-5L (9th place)
Number of league titles: 0

Road to playoffs

A couple of steps forward with Martin Varini at the helm after failing to qualify for last season’s playoffs. However, after some up-and-down results in the start to the year, FC Juárez gradually began to lose steam and stumbled into the postseason with just one win in their last eight matches.

Biggest strength and weakness

It isn’t the most attractive style of play, but FC Juárez have gotten the job done as the league leaders in interceptions (184) and with a spot at second when it comes to ball recoveries (745) and crosses blocked (33).

Unsurprisingly, this has come at the expense of the attack, which is heading into the postseason with the worst xG (16.74) from the 10 clubs invited into the playoffs.

Player to watch

The hardest-working player for FC Juárez? That’s 21-year-old defender/midfielder Denzell García. The young Mexican ranks second in Liga MX in defensive interventions (251), second in ball recoveries (108), and fifth in total tackles (52).

Other Liga MX teams, looking for a gutsy up-and-comer this summer, will also likely be watching.

Postseason prediction

They’ll last just one game, but FC Juárez are just happy to be here.

Far from a giant and perhaps even a mid-table team, the Clausura can go down as a success with the entry into the playoffs. The long shot of the long shots, Varini and his team will make things difficult with their defensive efforts, but there’s only so much they can accomplish with no real attacking presence.

Perhaps that will change in the postseason, as stranger things have happened in the Liga MX playoffs.