América, the defending Liga MX champions, are gearing up to face off against their playoff nemesis, Pachuca, in their title defense campaign. Last season, América secured their league-record 14th title as the top seed, showcasing their dominance by outscoring opponents 13-5.
Heading into the current season, América maintained their stronghold at the top of the Liga MX table during the Clausura 2024 season. With an undefeated record of 5-2-0 at their home ground, Estadio Azteca, and a remarkable goal difference of 15-5, the team, also known as ‘los Azulcremas,’ appears to be in a strong position.
However, a significant challenge lies ahead for América as they face Pachuca, a team that has historically posed a threat to the reigning champions. Despite América’s initial strong performance, a loss to Pachuca on Matchday 7 raised doubts about their invincibility.
Notably, Pachuca has a winning record against América in regular-season matchups, with a 27-17-22 record and a slight goal differential advantage. The real test comes in the playoffs, where Pachuca has notably dominated América, eliminating them in five out of six postseason encounters.
As América prepares to defend their title against Pachuca once again, the question looms – can they overcome their playoff bogeyman and off-field distractions to secure another championship victory?
