LIGA MX
What do León need to qualify for the Liga MX Apertura 2023 play-in round? Can they reach the playoffs?
The CONCACAF Champions League winners face Juárez on matchday 17 and are in danger of seeing their year end prematurely.
It’s been a quick fall from grace for Club Léon, who were crowned CONCACAF Champions League winners against Los Angeles FC back in June. Fast forward five months, and Los Panzas Verdes are in serious danger of missing out on qualification for the end-of-tournament Liga MX Apertura 2023 playoffs.
Heading into matchday 17, Nicolás Larcamón’s side are not even in the top 10 of the standings, the minimum required to qualify for the new play-in round. The league’s top six will go directly into the liguilla quarter-finals, with those finishing between seventh and 10th getting a second chance to make it to the last eight.
What do Léon have to do against Juárez?
León are currently in 11th spot ahead of their final fixture against at home to Juárez, with 10th-placed Toluca, who have already played their last game, just a point ahead of them. However, things are pretty straightforward for the men from Guanajuato - their inferior goal difference (0) to Los Diablos Rojos (+4) means they must win to feature in the play-in round.
Should they collect all three points at Estadio León, they will definitely finish in the top 10, leapfrogging Mazatlán, Pachuca and Toluca, but is there any chance of them sneaking into the top six?
How could León make it into the top six?
A victory over Los Bravos would move them onto 23 points, the same number as Atlético San Luis, currently in sixth. However, Atleti are seven goals better off, which means they would have to lose at home to Santos Laguna and there would realistically have to be an eight-goal swing due to the third tie-breaker being total number of goal scored. León would also have to hope eighth-placed Puebla fail to win away to Cruz Azul in their final match.
It’s win or bust for La Fiera on matchday 17.