Mexican Primera Division, Clausura Round 12: Atlante Battle To Stay Atop Group 2...Wait What?

Somehow, after 11 rounds in the Mexican Primera’s 2011 Clausura, Atlante are atop Group 2. Yes, it’s just Group 2, which is a massive cluster of fail. Yes, they only needed 16 points to get to that position. But if someone told me that Atlante was going to get 16 points over all 17 rounds, I would have been skeptical. Coming into this tournament, they looked awful. Their coefficient seemed a bit too high for them to get relegated, but they looked like a very realistic relegation candidate. Now, they’re battling for a Liguilla place. This week, they get a chance to prove their credentials against UANL Tigres in one of three games that we’re covering this week.

Club Necaxa Vs. C.D. Guadalajara Chivas

Friday, 9 pm ET

TV: Azteca America, Fox Deportes

Chivas are, once again, not having a great season. However, they’re just four points out of a guaranteed Liguilla place and just one point out of a wildcard spot. Much like every other season in Mexico, spots will be up for grabs on the final week with multiple teams still in the hunt. Necaxa are in a much different situation, fighting relegation. Their coefficient is currently just below one and they will likely need to finish on around 19 points to be anywhere near safety, but it could take as many as 24 points for them to stay up.

Necaxa’s loss to Puebla last week was a huge blow to their hopes of staying up, and hopefully that doesn’t affect the crowd turnout tonight. Necaxa has one of the best stadiums in Mexico, but the size and voice of their crowd seems to be seriously affected by current form. They’ll need all the fan support they can get against Chivas and their new teenaged star, Erick Torres. Chicharito: Part II scored a brace last week and seems to be unaffected by the media hype and scrutiny.

UANL Tigres Vs. Atlante

Saturday, 9 pm ET

TV: Telemundo

Atlante are somehow a good team, despite the fact that they were really awful in the last tournament and they didn’t do a whole lot to fix up their roster. Despite the fact that he’s been entirely average for the previous NINE tournaments, which I think is a pretty decent sample size, Christian Bermúdez has been absolute fire so far in the Clausura. Tigres, on the other hand, bought half of Mexico and part of Brazil, while getting some of America for free. They have a reason to be a hell of a lot better than they were in the Apertura. Oh, and they’re better than Atlante, so they should win at home.

Toluca Vs. Monterrey

Sunday, 1 pm ET

TV: Telemundo

Toluca are probably the most incredibly meh team I’ve ever seen in my life. There is nothing particularly poor or spectacular about them. They are entirely average in every way. This makes their current standing, fourth place, but one point back of first place in the anemic Group 2, extremely fitting. Though, Jaime Ayovi was a great signing, and he should be banging in goals for them for quite some time.

Monterrey, on the other hand, are really awesome. They’ve been the story of the last few tournaments, and despite the fact that they had a serious hiccup to start the season, they appear as if they’re going to make Liguilla comfortably and compete for yet another title. Toluca could very well win at home, but counting out Monterrey anywhere, against any opponent is silly. This should be the game of the week.

For more on the Mexican Primera and Mexican football in general, check out FMF State of Mind, SB Nation’s Mexican Football Blog.