Since the start of the Clausura 2024, Guadalajara showed signs of their ability both individually and collectively, consolidating their position as one of the most serious candidates for the Liga MX title as the games went by.
Beyond the points, Chivas' direct qualification to the Liguilla can be explained in the statistics, so here we will pass the magnifying glass to break them down in depth.
How did the CL24 go for the Red and White team?
Although a lot of noise was made before the start of the tournament about the change in the technical direction of the Rebaño Sagrado, with the arrival of Fernando Gago to the bench after his outstanding role in Racing Club of Argentina, the passing of the matchdays reflected the proposal that the tactician wanted for his team.
Through a philosophy based on an offensive approach, ball possession, and match management, Chivas managed to win 6 of the first 7 matches of the tournament, in a schedule that they faced at the same time as their participation in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
The turning point for Chiverío came between matchdays 9 and 12 when 3 setbacks in 4 matches made noise around the team, but this only brought out one of its greatest virtues: resilience. Starting on Matchday 13, in the Mexican Clasico against América, Guadalajara was undefeated even on some of the most difficult fields in the country. In addition to winning against the Águilas, they played against Rayados and Pachuca, where they won 3-3 and did not allow a single goal.
In terms of solidity, Chivas stood out both offensively and defensively: of their last 5 matches in the CL24, they scored in all of them and allowed a goal in only one. The goal difference is abysmal in that regard: 9 goals scored to 2 conceded.
Even though this is a team sport, we have to talk about the individual performances of the Red and White players as well. Of course, the most outstanding player is Roberto Alvarado, who, as the semester progressed, became more and more important in the performance of Gago's team. Piojo' contributed 5 goals and another 5 assists, in one of the most outstanding personal performances in the League, which has him in enviable form for the Final Phase.
The team's other key players, such as Erick Gutiérrez, Gilberto Chiquete, Fernando Beltrán, Ricardo Marín, and 'Tala' Rangel himself, also raised their hands, and little by little they helped the team to position Guadalajara with 31 points as one of the 6 teams that automatically qualified for the CL24 Quarterfinals.
