Liga MX: Toluca, against history

The four most consistent teams in the 2025 Clausura Tournament advanced to the semifinals: Toluca, América, Cruz Azul, and Tigres. The matchup between the felines and the Diablos Rojos will open the round today at the Estadio Universitario.

Tigres' pass sparked controversy due to the goal that eliminated Necaxa in the final minutes of the match. Despite the criticism, Guido Pizarro's team should focus on its next match against the tournament leader.

Toluca, coached by Antonio "Turco" Mohamed, will visit the "Volcán" as the favorite after a solid regular season. The team from the State of Mexico hasn't won at Tigres since the 2021 Guardianes Tournament; since that tournament, they have accumulated four losses and only one draw.

In the playoffs, Tigres dominate the record. They have faced each other five times, and all have gone in favor of the Monterrey team: three in the semifinals (Apertura 2003, 2014, and 2015) and two in the quarterfinals (Clausura 2003 and 2023). In the 2023 Clausura, Tigres won 5-4 on aggregate, before winning their last championship against Chivas.

The university team also defeated Toluca in the playoffs. They won 2-1 in the 2020 Guardianes Championship. In the 2014 Copa MX Apertura, the felines won 2-0 in the quarterfinals.

The Red Devils arrive with the tournament's best attack, led by two-time scoring champion Paulinho of Portugal, and supported by Alexis Vega.

Mohamed will be looking for goals from the first leg, despite the fact that the draw on aggregate favors them due to their position in the table.

Tigres need to improve on their home performance against Necaxa, a team that came close to eliminating them. The team has yet to reach its peak form, but is confident it can be strong at home.

"I think Guido Pizarro's situation has been evolving little by little. I think we've always said that. The truth is, competing in two tournaments since he arrived, and only having two weeks to work... So, I think the team is slowly understanding Guido's idea," said Mauricio Culebro, Tigres' sports president.

The other semifinal will pit defending champion América against Cruz Azul, a repeat of last season's semifinals and the final of the previous championship.

La Máquina, the only semifinalist to win both matches against León, arrives strengthened after defeating América in the Concacaf Champions League, but the Águilas want revenge and will seek to win the series.

The Coapa team's primary objective was to win the CONCACAF trophy, the only task still pending for the team coached by Brazilian André Jardine.

Tomorrow, Cruz Azul will host the first leg, and on Sunday, the second leg will be played at the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes, the former home of La Máquina. — EL UNIVERSAL and EFE

Gignac: Return

Frenchman André-Pierre Gignac appears to be ruled out of the field for the remainder of the Clausura playoffs.

Injury

The French striker has been unable to return to action after suffering a chronic injury to the Achilles tendon in his right foot.

Origin of the problem

The Tigres' all-time leading scorer has not been able to play since late January when he injured himself during a team training session that he couldn't finish and ended up in an operating room undergoing outpatient surgery.

A veteran player

André-Pierre Gignac is about to turn 40 (on December 5).