Mexico's fiercest rivalry returns on Sunday as Chivas Guadalajara welcome in Club America. While Chivas currently sit atop Liga MX, America are the defending champions and will be looking to send a message in the Super Clasico. Who will have the upper hand at the Estadio Omnilife? Tom Marshall (Chivas) and Andrea Canales (America) face off ahead of the big one.
So, Chivas are back to being the Chivas of old -- right?
Tom Marshall: A tentative yes, bearing in mind that things can, and often do, swing from extremities very quickly at Chivas. Coming into the Super Clasico, the whole institution is riding on the wave of avoiding relegation and sitting pretty at the top of the Liga MX table.
More than anything, though, the change is in the feel-good factor among fans. The team isn't playing exceptionally well, but the fans are filling the Estadio Omnilife; there is a buzz of excitement before Chivas home games and a renewed pride in Guadalajara in supporting the all-Mexican club. Just a couple of months ago, that swagger just wasn't there.
Andrea Canales: If by Chivas of old, one means the last time this club won a championship, yes, that is back, especially in the sense of their weird dependance on Omar Bravo. Speaking of old, Bravo's 35 now, not 26, so Guadalajara leans on him at their own peril. He may be capable of a final hurrah, but despite all of the fan celebration over topping the Liga MX table, Chivas haven't yet claimed a trophy this season. If it ends this way, all the club can really celebrate is escaping relegation, which is far less glamorous.
Why has Club America stalled at different points this season?
TM: The transition from the more defense-minded Antonio Mohamed to Gustavo Matosas has been problematic. It seems fair to suggest the new coach has rushed, rather than gradually implementing his playing style -- which remains the most offensive and exciting in the Liga MX. He's lacked a streak of pragmatism. At times, forwards Darwin Quintero, Oribe Peralta, Dario Benedetto have clicked, like in the 6-0 destruction of Herediano in the CONCACAF Champions League, but far too often the team has looked out of balance, as if the players are slightly lost in Matosas' system.
The outwardly attacking nature of Club America can also play into opponents' hands. You know exactly what to expect and Las Aguilas are highly vulnerable on counterattacks. Just look at the 4-0 loss last weekend against Queretaro.
AC: I don't know exactly, but neither does Gustavo Matosas. As the Club America coach, he is well-paid and well-positioned to investigate the problem and devise a solution, but I haven't seen it yet. Sure, injuries have been an issue now and again, but not more so than for many teams who are far less talented. So there really isn't any excuse for Club America to be struggling so much compared to only a season ago, when the team dominated both the regular season and the playoffs.
Sum up how fierce this rivalry is:
TM: I don't think fierce is the right word. In many ways, Guadalajara-Atlas or America-Pumas are fiercer rivalries due to the proximity of the clubs. This is a game that brings Mexico to a halt. For me, it's about tradition, getting together with family and friends and partying. It's part of Mexico's social calendar in all classes of society. Even those who don't like soccer will watch.
At the center of the rivalry is the fact Chivas play only with Mexicans. The policy has given the club a clear nationalistic feel, while Club America, almost from its inception, has been known for signing star South American players and bringing the glitz and glamor to Liga MX. Add to that the province (Chivas) versus capital (America) element and the stage is set.
AC: If a game's outcome can change the disposition of fans for the better part of a year, up to the next game, then it matters a lot. As befits a team with "Chivas de corazon" as one of their slogans, Guadalajara supporters are often more emotional about wins or losses over their fiercest rivals, while Club America fans often act smug about the entire rivalry even after a victory, as if that outcome is supposed to be the natural order of things. But whether loud and proud about a positive outcome or quietly superior about it, the two sets of fans care deeply and fiercely about winning. Draws tend to deflate supporters on both sides.
Where will this game be won and lost?
TM: Can Chivas, at home in the Estadio Omnilife, be disciplined enough to play a counterattacking game? It goes against the club's DNA, but if they can, Chivas -- with the best defensive record in the league -- can stifle America, who often makes mistakes leading to their own downfall. It won't be easy. If the adrenaline gets to the Chivas players and they lose discipline, America's attacking unit will find space and do damage. For me, America currently has the better players, but Chivas are the better team.
AC: The final third will be crucial for Club America. The Aguilas players move the ball well usually, but this season, the opponent's goal has been a mystery for them which they haven't solved with consistency, even with the quality they boast in Oribe Peralta, Dario Benedetto, Darwin Quintero and Rubens Sambueza. If they can get going, though, watch out. For me, the most dangerous players Chivas has are the ones who can pop up and change a match when others are tiring, so I'd be wary of Erick Torres.
Prediction
TM: A 1-1 tie. Not the most provocative prediction, but it is a scoreline that would probably suit both teams. It would take Chivas to 26 points and virtually guarantee a playoff spot, while Matosas -- who is under-fire at present -- will still be in a job for the vital CONCACAF Champions League semifinal second leg in Montreal on Wednesday.
AC: 1-0 to America. Peralta scores, saving both his squad and Matosas, at least for another week.