Matchday 10 Clásicos: Chivas and Tigres Still the Boss | OneFootball

We’re now past the halfway point of the Liga MX season, and this weekend delivered two of the most heated rivalries in Mexican soccer:

Clásico Tapatío: Atlas 1–2 Chivas

Atlas, managed by Diego Cocca, came into the 257th edition of the Clásico Tapatío riding a ten-game unbeaten streak at home. Meanwhile, Chivas, coached by Gabriel Milito, arrived after back-to-back losses in the Clausura 2026 that had cost them the league lead.

Atlas struck first thanks to a goal from Paulo Ramírez in the 12th minute, and for a while it looked like the red-and-black side might justify their “favorites” label. But then reality kicked in. Or rather, Chivas did.

First came Armando “La Hormiga” González—the breakout star of Mexican soccer—and then veteran striker Ángel Sepúlveda finished the comeback, flipping the scoreline and reminding everyone why Chivas still claims to be the biggest club in the state of Jalisco.

Just hours before kickoff, Borussia Dortmund were reportedly interested in signing González for next season. The 22-year-old responded the best way a striker can: by scoring against one of his club’s fiercest rivals.

And just to make things spicier, González has now scored in both of Chivas’ biggest rivalries this season. Back in Matchday 6, he netted the winning goal against Club América. Not bad for a player who, about a year ago, most fans outside Guadalajara had never heard of.

El Trí Champagne Problem

Now González may have given Mexico’s national team coach Javier Aguirre a bit of a headache—or maybe a solution. The No. 9 spot currently belongs to Raúl Jiménez, who’s approaching the latter stages of his career. Meanwhile, Santiago Giménez is dealing with injuries at AC Milan and hasn’t quite delivered for the national team.

Enter González.

Why not imagine a future where he forms a lethal duo with Giménez? Mexican fans have been waiting years for the next great striker to take over once Jiménez eventually steps aside.

Right now, González is the U-23 player with the most goals in the world, tallying 18 goals in 27 matches during the 2025–26 season. Not surprisingly, clubs like FC Barcelona are already keeping tabs on him.

That leaves Aguirre with a tricky decision ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup roster. Between Jiménez, Giménez, Germán Berterame, González, and Julián Quiñones—who, by the way, is currently the top scorer in Saudi Arabia ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Ivan Toney—someone might end up left out of the 26-man squad.

A return to Clásico Tapatío

With Saturday’s win, Chivas extended their unbeaten streak against Atlas to six matches. Historically, the rivalry now stands at 91 wins for Chivas, 85 draws, and 81 wins for Atlas.

Goals? Chivas have scored 370 and conceded 336. Close enough to keep the rivalry spicy.

And speaking of surprises, let’s talk about Milito. When he was hired, plenty of fans questioned the move. Fast forward to today and the Argentine has won 17 of his first 31 matches with Chivas. Even more impressive: he hasn’t lost a single clásico against either Atlas or América, posting 4 wins and 2 draws.

Not too shabby.

Chivas finished Matchday 10 in third place with 21 points, firmly in the title conversation—though in Liga MX, being a favorite in March means absolutely nothing by May.

Clásico Regio: Tigres 1–0 Monterrey

If you’re writing a script for the Clásico Regio, you probably end it like this: In stoppage time—90+2 to be exact—André-Pierre Gignac scored the winner for Tigres.

Yes, that Gignac.

The same one people keep saying is “finished,” the one constantly battling injuries and father time, the one whose retirement rumors pop up every six months. And yet, there he was again—breaking Monterrey hearts.

The French striker scored his 219th goal with Tigres, including 190 in Liga MX, placing him in the Top 10 all-time scorers in Mexican professional soccer. Not bad for a guy who supposedly arrived in northern Mexico years ago just for a short adventure.

Instead, he became a club legend—and a permanent nightmare for Rayados fans. The goal was also his 15th in Clásicos Regios, helping Tigres reach 51 wins in 142 editions of the rivalry. Monterrey has 47 victories, with 43 draws rounding out the history.

Tigres currently sit sixth with 16 points, which in Liga MX basically means they’re still very much in the title race. In this wonderfully chaotic league, finishing anywhere in the top eight can still lead to a championship.

Monterrey, meanwhile, dropped to ninth place and has lost three of its last five matches. The slump could continue this week in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, where they face league leaders Cruz Azul in the first leg of the Round of 16.

Other Notable Results from Matchday 10

Cruz Azul defeated Atlético de San Luis 3–0 and look like the strongest team in the league right now, leading the Clausura 2026 with 25 points out of a possible 30.

Club América snapped a two-game losing streak with a 2–1 win over Querétaro FC at the Corregidora Stadium. The Eagles haven’t exactly been soaring this tournament, but the win comes at a good time before facing Philadelphia Union in the Champions Cup.

Toluca FC beat FC Juárez 3–1 and remain firmly on track in their quest for a Liga MX three-peat.