In Liga MX, nothing is better than a 'Liguilla' match between Chivas and América

SEATTLE - Known as the "Clásico Nacional," the game between Chivas del Guadalajara and Club América has been Mexico's biggest soccer rivalry for decades and, on May 18, will have yet another exciting chapter when both teams meet in the Clausura 2024 semifinals.

If we include the ties before the short tournament era (since 1996), Chivas and América have clashed 12 previous times in the playoffs. The first time this happened was during the 1982-83 semifinals, with "El Rebaño Sagrado" advancing to the final due to a 4-2 win on aggregate.

Despite winning the first two-legged tie, Chivas has only eliminated the "Águilas" three more times since 1983, with two of them coming in the last four years. In the previous 12 times when 'rojiblancos' and 'azulcremas' clashed in the playoffs, América advanced in eight of those.

Despite being two of the biggest and most laureated teams in Mexican soccer, Chivas and América have only crossed paths nine previous times in the 'Liguilla' since Mexico changed its format to two tournaments per year in 1996.

Out of those nine, América advanced six times including its most recent in 2016. Despite América's historical domination, its Chivas who has gotten the best out of the 'Águilas' in recent times, eliminating their archrivals the last two times they clashed in a 'Liguilla' (Clausura 2023, Guardianes 2020).

The bitter rivals had a goalless tie in the first leg of the semifinals at Chivas' home stadium and will decide the first Clausura 2024 finalist on May 18 at the legendary Estadio Azteca. América, the reigning champions, are looking to become just the fourth different team in the short tournament era to win consecutive titles (Atlas, León, Pumas) while Chivas wants to reach another final after falling short of the title during the Clausura 2023.

For a second tournament in a row, América finished the regular season as the best team in the country, racking up 35 points thanks to 10 wins, seven draws and only two defeats. The 'Águilas' have finished as Liga MX "superlíderes" 10 times since 1996 but only won the title in two of those tournaments (Apertura 2014, Apertura 2023).

If they want to reach consecutive finals they will have to go through a Chivas team that closed out the regular season in great form. "El Rebaño" is unbeaten in all competitions since March 13 (7-0-4) and are currently on a six-game streak without allowing a goal. The last time a team scored a goal against Chivas was more than a month ago, in a 3-2 win over Puebla on April 6.

According to the money makers, América will enter this weekend's game against Chivas as the favorite to advance to the Clausura 2024 final. The 'Águilas' have a -125 line to win the game outright while "El Rebaño" will enter the game with +340 odds according to DraftKings despite having won its last two visits to the Estadio Azteca in 'Liguilla' play.