América, aiming for a fourth consecutive title, had to settle for second in Clausura 2025
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The first play-in matches will be kick off this weekendThe last spot will be decided on the weekend of May 3The quarterfinals will begin on May 7-8Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Clausura 2025 has come to an end, with the top spot changing hands multiple times throughout the tournament. James Rodríguez’s Club León had a strong start but suffered a disastrous finish, ultimately dropping to sixth place.
Defending champions América also led during the second half of the tournament, but a poor run in April – combined with an impressive streak by Toluca – allowed the Diablos to finish first. América, aiming for a fourth consecutive title, had to settle for second.
The final matchday included Pumas clinching the last playoff spot despite losing away to Tigres, while Chivas once again failed to qualify after a draw in the against Atlas.
GOAL looks at the teams that qualified.
AdvertisementAFPTEAMS THAT QUALIFIED
Toluca: finished the regular season in first place with 37 points. Mohamed’s side heads into the playoffs on a seven-match unbeaten run, winning six. The Diablos won’t know their quarterfinal opponent until the weekend of May 3, as they will face the winner of Pumas vs. FC Juárez against the loser of Monterrey vs. Pachuca.
América: Ended a five-game winless streak with a dominant 5–0 victory over Mazatlán FC in Matchday 17. Jardine’s side qualified in second place with 34 points, and the 17-day break will help injured players recover, including Henry Martín, Diego Valdés, Brian Rodríguez, Jonathan Dos Santos and Luis Ángel Malagón. América will face the winner of the play-in match between Rayados and Tuzos in the quarterfinals.
Cruz Azul: Secured third place with 33 points and boasts a 14-match unbeaten run. They’ll face León, who ended their campaign poorly with five losses in their last seven games. La Fiera, under scrutiny after their Club World Cup expulsion and visible dip in form, finished sixth with 30 points.
Tigres and Necaxa: Finished fourth and fifth, respectively. They will battle for a semifinal berth. Pizarro’s Tigres closed the season with 33 points, while Larcamón’s Necaxa had 31 and only one loss in their final five games.
Who will come out on top? The quarterfinal first legs will be played on May 7-8, with the second legs scheduled for May 10-11. The semifinals are set for May 14-15 (first legs) and May 17-18 (second legs). The Clausura 2025 Final will be played on May 22-25.
Getty Images SportPLAY-IN ROUND
The play-In matchups are set. Monterrey and Pachuca, who finished seventh and eighth, respectively, will face off at Rayados’ Estadio BBVA this weekend (exact date and time to be announced). The winner will face América in the quarterfinals, while the loser will take on the winner of the FC Juárez vs. Pumas match to determine Toluca’s opponent.
It remains uncertain whether Sergio Ramos will be available for this weekend’s game, after leaving the match against León with an injury.
Meanwhile, FC Juárez (ninth place) and Pumas (tenth) will face off to stay alive in the play-In and continue their push for a playoff spot. The winner will go on to face the loser of Tuzos vs. Rayados, with a ticket to face Toluca on the line.
AFPTEAMS THAT DIDN'T ADVANCE
The teams that failed to reach the final phase of Clausura 2025 included Chivas, Querétaro, Xolos, Atlas, Atlético de San Luis, Mazatlán FC, Puebla and Santos Laguna.
