Is Liga MX the only league in which a 43-year-old mayor is suiting up this weekend? Probably! Jon Arnold looks at that and more of Round 9's biggest stories.
Last week was a wild one in Liga MX, with the midweek CONCACAF Champions League and Copa Libertadores matches adding even more intrigue after a number of wild matches in Round 8.
This week is going to be excellent, though. It's one of those weeks that seems like it could only happen in Liga MX, a league that isn't the world's most competitive but never lacks for entertainment. Let's just get into it. Here are the talking points ahead of Round 9 of the Liga MX Clausura:
IT'S A BIG WEEKEND FOR ... CUAUHTEMOC BLANCO
Cuahtemoc Blanco is 43 years old and currently fills his days by running the city of Cuernavaca. Yet this weekend, after nearly a year away from the game of soccer, he'll be playing a half-hour or so in an actual league match for a team in the Liguilla chase.
Club America agreed to bring Blanco back and see him off with playing time in this week's match against Morelia. He'll then be able to retire as an America player, entering the weekend with 333 appearances for Las Aguilas. He'll be honored at halftime, and the tribute also is part of the club's 100th anniversary celebrations. Blanco will wear No. 100 on the field.
On the one hand, Blanco's achievements with America put him among the Mexican league's best-ever players. He deserves plaudits and accolades. He deserves applause, and he'll get it from the Estadio Azteca fans Saturday.
On the other, America sits sixth in the table and enters Saturday's contest on the back of two draws and a defeat in league play. America has had trouble with red cards, but Blanco won't make up a dead space on the pitch, he'll be a player America wants to get the ball and see preform well. Still, the players are publicly saying they're excited about Blanco's cameo.
"He's a player who has showed a character and a lot of playing ability," America captain Rubens Sambueza told reporters. "We have to get to know him, enjoy him and try to make a good squad.
"It's not a disadvantage. In fact it's actually going to give us the advantage and help us."
This is like a celebrity shot in beer pong, where you just grab someone who is around to be part of your game. Is there any other league in the world where a 43-year-old mayor is suiting up to take a celebrity shot for a title contender? If so, I'd love to see it. But I doubt it, and for that, I say, long live the weirdness of Liga MX.
DON'T MISS ... MONTERREY vs. TIGRES
The Clasico Regio nearly always entertains, but this tournament's has the potential to be one of the best of the decade.
Monterrey enters the first Clasico hosted in shiny, new Estadio BBVA Bancomer in first place. However, Los Rayados were handed a 4-0 defeat last weekend against Cruz Azul. Tigres sit fourth, handing out a beat down last weekend instead of taking one, beating Club America by a 4-1 scoreline. Ricardo "Tuca" Ferretti's men also saw off Real Salt Lake in their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal, though RSL didn't make it easy.
Both teams have exciting attacking weapons. Andre-Pierre Gignac, the Tigres forward, leads the league with eight goals. Monterrey's Rogeilo Funes Mori is just behind with five tallies. Antonio Mohamed also has seen Carlos Sanchez and Edwin Cardona contribute to the attack. Tigres is a relatively disciplined team, but there are obviously questions about Monterrey's defense after last weekend's lopsided defeat. Monterrey will be eager to prove that was just a fluke, but Tigres' excellent form make it seem like Los Felinos will be tough to beat.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ... MOMENTUM SHIFTING IN THE CAPITAL
The balance of power in Mexico City has been with America, with Pumas disrupting things in the Apertura with its first-place finish in the regular season and subsequent run to the Liga MX final. Now, Cruz Azul heads into Sunday's showdown with Pumas looking like the capital's best club.
La Maquina is undefeated in the last nine matches across all competitions, including Round 8's 4-0 dismantling of first-placed Monterrey. Jorge Benitez scored a double in that match to take him to seven goals on the year, and Spanish midfielder Victor Vazquez is finding his footing after arriving early in the season.
Pumas is coming off a solid week getting a point against Veracruz before heading to Paraguay and returning with a 2-0 Copa Libertadores victory over Olimpia. With a busy schedule and a streaking rival coming to the Estadio Universitario, Pumas are hoping they can put their stamp on the game to shift the momentum.
"They come in picking up speed, and they've had positive results," defender Luis Fuentes said. "We've been doing things well, but we haven't had all the results we want. We've got to go out and control the match and attack our rival to get the three points."
Cruz Azul manager Tomas Boy remains suspended after his exuberant and confrontational celebration the last time Cruz Azul played an away match in the capital, a 3-3 draw with America at the Estadio Azteca.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"MLS is growing, but it's more than reflected that Liga MX is on top." - Yasser Corona, Queretaro defender
Liga MX teams are back to banging on each other, but it was a successful midweek for the league's reputation. All four of Liga MX's representatives topped MLS teams in the quarterfinal, confirming Liga MX's streak of CCL championships will continue - and Mexico will have a club at the Club World Cup in 2016.
There's a decent amount of interest in MLS in Mexico, a lot of it stemming from MLS' marketing strength globally, but Corona, a center back with national-team hopes, put a point on the overarching sentiment.
- Goal