With a name like the “4 Grandes”, one would think that news of them winning should not be something to write about. Well, they did win. And they all won on the same weekend. Again, you ask “what’s the big deal? These are the premiere teams, the flagship clubs, the most powerful and popular clubs in Liga MX. They are used to winning and winning championships. So WTF, John?”
Well, let me tell you.
Yes, the big 4 won this past weekend. America dispatched Leon at the Azteca 2-1
while Guadalajara surprised league leaders Monterrey in the tamalera 3-1. A guy by the name of “la chofis” scored a riveting brace.
Cruz Azul made Atlas look so bad, favorite son Rafael Marquez begged forgiveness from the largest RednBlack supporters group, Barra 51 (named after the last year they won a league title).
https://twitter.com/diego_ornelas_/status/711419205006962688
After giving up an early goal, Pumas put together a 4 goal spurt to down Monarcas.
causing a butterfly to cry in a post-game TV interview.
The big deal is not that they won. It is that they all had wins in the same matchday. Something that had not happened in 4 years. 4 years. Not very big 4-like. We have to go back to Matchday 9 of the 2012 Clausura to see the last time this happened.
In those 4 years, Club America has certainly had the best run. A couple of League titles and a CONCACAF trophy have restored order (if you ask any Americanista) to the world. Cruz Azul and Pumas each have lost a final in that time frame, while Chivas has been in the wilderness, losing games and going through coaches and front office types like a tourist who eat too much street food goes through a roll of toilet paper.
The current table has them in the following positions:
- 3. America 21 pts +7
- 5. Cruz Azul 18 pts +7
- 9. Pumas 15 pts +2
- 12. Chivas 12 pts 0
The 8th place team, Tijuana has 16 pts, so it is conceivable that with 6 dates left, all four sides could make the post-season. When was the last time that happened? The 2011 Clausura, which coincidentally was won by Pumas – another opportunity to make the Butterflies cry…
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