Week 16 of the 2023 Clausura is now done and dusted! Looking back at a busy weekend in the top flight of Mexican men's soccer, here are three talking points and some additional observations from Liga MX.
- Liga MX standings | Liga MX coverage on ESPN Deportes
Playoff picture becomes more clear ahead of final week
A quick update on Liga MX's playoff format. After the end of the regular season this week, the top 12 teams in the standings will qualify for the Liguilla. While the top four teams will enter the playoffs in the quarterfinal stage, clubs placed between fifth through twelfth will take part in a single-leg play-in round that will determine the four additional quarterfinalists.
At the moment, only first-place Monterrey have guaranteed themselves a place in the quarterfinals, which then leaves Club America, Chivas, Toluca, Pachuca and Leon all fighting for three spots remaining in the top four.
Although Tigres and Cruz Azul don't have enough points left to qualify for the top four, both teams have already earned invitations to the play-in round. What that then leaves is a thrilling end to the season in which the next eight teams in the standings (No. 9-16) will be battling it out for the final four spots of the play-in round.
With only Necaxa and Mazatlan officially out of the running for the playoffs, a whopping total of 16 of the league's 18 teams are still in the running for the Liguilla in the final weekend of the regular season. Don't miss any of the action in Week 17.
Club America's Martin nears scoring title
Barring a hat-trick from Atlas' Julian Quiñones in the final weekend of the regular season, it looks increasingly likely that Club America's Henry Martin will win the Clausura's goalscoring title.
After scoring the equalizer in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Pumas in the Clasico Capitalino, the Mexican forward now has 14 goals to his name and a two-goal cushion over Quiñones.
Not bad for a 30-year-old that has never won Liga MX's goalscoring award.
Often overshadowed by more prominent strikers in the league (and the Mexico national team), Martin has racked up at least seven goals every season for the Aguilas since his 2018 arrival. Highly questioned by his lack of production with Club Tijuana before moving to Mexico City, Martin has turned into a burly striker that is excellent in the air and accurate in front of goal.
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