2020–21 Liga MX season
74th professional season of the top-flight football league in Mexico
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The 2020–21 Liga MX season was the 74th professional season of the highest level division of association football in Mexico. The season was divided into two short tournaments (Guard1anes 2020 and Guard1anes 2021), each with 18 participating clubs and the same format. Both tournaments were renamed as Guard1anes to honor healthcare workers in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico.[1][2] The season began on 24 July 2020.[3]
| Season | 2020–21 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Guard1anes 2020: León (8th title) Guard1anes 2021: Cruz Azul (9th title) |
| Champions League | León UNAM Cruz Azul Santos Laguna |
| Matches | 306 |
| Goals | 753 (2.46 per match) Guard1anes 2020: 394 (2.58 per match) Guard1anes 2021: 359 (2.35 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Guard1anes 2020: Jonathan Rodríguez (12 goals) Guard1anes 2021: Alexis Canelo (11 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Guard1anes 2020: América 4–0 Tijuana (1 August 2020) Santos Laguna 4–0 Mazatlán (8 November 2020) Guard1anes 2021: Puebla 4–0 Juárez (12 February 2021) |
| Biggest away win | Guard1anes 2020: Atlético San Luis 0–5 Mazatlán (29 October 2020) Guard1anes 2021: Juárez 1–6 Monterrey (3 March 2021) |
| Highest scoring | Guard1anes 2020: Pachuca 4–3 Mazatlán (24 August 2020) Guard1anes 2021: Toluca 4–4 Puebla (21 March 2021) |
| Longest winning run | Guard1anes 2020: 7 matches León Guard1anes 2021: 12 matches Cruz Azul |
| Longest unbeaten run | Guard1anes 2020: 14 matches León Guard1anes 2021: 15 matches Cruz Azul |
| Longest winless run | Guard1anes 2020: 9 matches Querétaro Guard1anes 2021: 10 matches Atlético San Luis |
| Longest losing run | Guard1anes 2020: 5 matches Necaxa Guard1anes 2021: 7 matches Atlético San Luis |
| Highest attendance | Guard1anes 2020: 6,019 Mazatlán vs Monterrey (25 October 2020) Guard1anes 2021: 12,778 Puebla vs UNAM (23 April 2021) |
| Total attendance | Guard1anes 2020: 11,066 Guard1anes 2021: 312,571 (45 matches) |
| Average attendance | Guard1anes 2020: 614 Guard1anes 2021: 6,946 |
← 2019–20 2021–22 →
Stats are from the regular season onlySource: Liga MX | |
The season saw the debut of Mazatlán F.C., replacing Monarcas Morelia, who were relocated to Mazatlán, Sinaloa to become the new Mazatlán franchise, despite backlash from supporters, former players, and the sports media across Mexico.[4][5] The season saw an expanded playoff system. Twelve teams qualified to the Liguilla instead of eight.[6]
Clubs
Stadiums and locations
| Club | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| América | Mexico City | Azteca | 87,000 |
| Atlas | Guadalajara, Jalisco | Jalisco | 55,110 |
| Atlético San Luis | San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí | Alfonso Lastras | 25,709 |
| Cruz Azul | Mexico City | Azteca | 87,000 |
| Guadalajara | Zapopan, Jalisco | Akron | 45,364 |
| Juárez | Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua | Olímpico Benito Juárez | 19,703 |
| León | León, Guanajuato | León | 31,297 |
| Mazatlán | Mazatlán, Sinaloa | Mazatlán | 25,000 |
| Monterrey | Guadalupe, Nuevo León | BBVA | 53,500 |
| Necaxa | Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes | Victoria | 23,851 |
| Pachuca | Pachuca, Hidalgo | Hidalgo | 27,512 |
| Puebla | Puebla, Puebla | Cuauhtémoc | 51,726 |
| Querétaro | Querétaro, Querétaro | Corregidora | 33,162 |
| Santos Laguna | Torreón, Coahuila | Corona | 29,237 |
| Tijuana | Tijuana, Baja California | Caliente | 27,333 |
| Toluca | Toluca, State of Mexico | Nemesio Díez | 31,000 |
| UANL | San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León | Universitario | 41,886 |
| UNAM | Mexico City | Olímpico Universitario | 48,297 |
Personnel and kits
Managerial changes
| Club | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure |
Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Guard1anes 2020 changes | |||||||
| Querétaro |  Víctor Manuel Vucetich |
Mutual agreement termination | 2 June 2020 | Alex Diego |
23 June 2020 | Preseason | [7][8] |
| Tijuana |  Gustavo Quinteros |
Resigned | 12 June 2020 |  Pablo Guede |
19 June 2020 | [9][10] | |
| UNAM |  Míchel |
Resigned | 23 July 2020 | Andrés Lillini (Interim) |
23 July 2020 | [11][12] | |
| Guard1anes 2020 | |||||||
| Guadalajara | Luis Fernando Tena |
Sacked | 9 August 2020 | Marcelo Michel Leaño (Interim) |
9 August 2020 | 17th | [13][14] |
| Atlas | Rafael Puente Jr. |
Sacked | 10 August 2020 | Rubén Duarte (Interim) |
10 August 2020 | 16th | [15] |
| Atlas | Rubén Duarte (Interim) |
End of tenure as caretaker | 14 August 2020 | Diego Cocca |
11 August 2020[note 1][17] | 16th | [18] |
| Guadalajara | Marcelo Michel Leaño (Interim) |
End of tenure as caretaker | 13 August 2020 | Víctor Manuel Vucetich |
13 August 2020 | 13th | [19] |
| UNAM | Andrés Lillini (Interim) |
Ratified as manager | 17 August 2020 | Andrés Lillini |
17 August 2020 | 3rd | [20][21] |
| Necaxa | Alfonso Sosa |
Sacked | 4 September 2020 | José Guadalupe Cruz |
6 September 2020 | 14th | [22][23] |
| Toluca | José Manuel de la Torre |
Sacked | 28 September 2020 | Carlos Adrián Morales (Interim) |
28 September 2020 | 10th | [24][25] |
| Mazatlán | Francisco Palencia |
Sacked | 3 October 2020 | Tomás Boy |
5 October 2020 | 17th | [26][27] |
| Querétaro | Alex Diego |
Sacked | 26 October 2020 | Héctor Altamirano |
27 October 2020 | 17th | [28][29] |
| Atlético San Luis | Guillermo Vázquez |
Mutual agreement termination | 30 October 2020 | Luis Francisco García (Interim) |
31 October 2020 | 18th | [30] |
| Pre-Guard1anes 2021 changes | |||||||
| Atlético San Luis | Luis Francisco García (Interim) |
End of tenure as caretaker | 23 November 2020 |  Leonel Rocco |
23 November 2020 | Preseason | [31] |
| Monterrey | Antonio Mohamed |
Mutual agreement termination | 25 November 2020 | Javier Aguirre |
7 December 2020 | [32][33] | |
| Toluca | Carlos Adrián Morales (Interim) |
End of tenure as caretaker | 25 November 2020 | Hernán Cristante |
1 December 2020 | [34][35] | |
| Juárez | Gabriel Caballero |
Sacked | 26 November 2020 | Luis Fernando Tena |
28 November 2020 | [36][37] | |
| Puebla |  Juan Reynoso |
Sacked | 1 December 2020 | Nicolás Larcamón |
9 December 2020 | [38][39] | |
| Cruz Azul | Robert Siboldi |
Resigned | 11 December 2020 | Luis Armando González (Interim) |
11 December 2020[note 2] | [40][41] | |
| América | Miguel Herrera |
Sacked | 21 December 2020 | Santiago Solari |
29 December 2020 | [42] | |
| Cruz Azul | Luis Armando González (Interim) |
End of tenure as caretaker | 7 January 2021 | Juan Reynoso |
7 January 2021 | [43] | |
| Guard1anes 2021 changes | |||||||
| Juárez | Luis Fernando Tena |
Sacked | 15 March 2021 | Alfonso Sosa |
17 March 2021 | 16th | [44][45] |
| Necaxa | José Guadalupe Cruz |
Sacked | 16 March 2021 | Guillermo Vázquez |
18 March 2021 | 18th | [46] |
| Tijuana | Pablo Guede |
Mutual agreement | 12 April 2021 | Ildefonso Mendoza (Interim) |
14 April 2021 | 11th | [47][48] |
| Tijuana | Ildefonso Mendoza (Interim) |
End of tenure as caretaker | 19 April 2021 | Robert Siboldi |
19 April 2021 | 15th | [49][50] |
Torneo Guard1anes 2020
The Apertura tournament was named Guard1anes 2020, in honour of the job healthcare workers have done during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. The tournament began on 24 July 2020.
Regular phase
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | León (C) | 17 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 27 | 14 | +13 | 40 | Qualification for the quarter-finals[a] |
| 2 | UNAM | 17 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 29 | 17 | +12 | 32 | |
| 3 | América | 17 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 31 | 22 | +9 | 32 | |
| 4 | Cruz Azul | 17 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 23 | 16 | +7 | 29 | |
| 5 | Monterrey | 17 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 26 | 21 | +5 | 29 | Qualification for the Reclassification[b] |
| 6 | UANL | 17 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 27 | 16 | +11 | 28 | |
| 7 | Guadalajara | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 17 | +3 | 26 | |
| 8 | Santos Laguna | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 24 | 20 | +4 | 25 | |
| 9 | Pachuca | 17 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 18 | 14 | +4 | 25 | |
| 10 | Necaxa | 17 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 20 | −4 | 24 | |
| 11 | Toluca | 17 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 23 | 28 | −5 | 21 | |
| 12 | Puebla | 17 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 22 | 25 | −3 | 20 | |
| 13 | Juárez | 17 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 16 | 19 | −3 | 19 | |
| 14 | Mazatlán | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 24 | 31 | −7 | 16 | |
| 15 | Tijuana | 17 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 27 | −15 | 15 | |
| 16 | Atlas | 17 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 20 | −7 | 14 | |
| 17 | Querétaro | 17 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 23 | 28 | −5 | 13 | |
| 18 | Atlético San Luis | 17 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 16 | 35 | −19 | 11 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results between tied teams; 5) Number of goals scored away; 6) Highest relegation coefficient; 7) Fair Play points
(C) Champions
Notes:
- The first four places in the table qualified for the Liguilla quarter-finals.
- Teams ranked 5th to 12th in the table qualified for Reclassification
Positions by round
| Leader and qualification to Liguilla | |
| Qualification to Liguilla | |
| Qualification to Reclassification | |
| Last place in table |
Results
Teams played every other team once (either at home or away), completing a total of 17 rounds.
Individual statistics
- First goal of the season:
André-Pierre Gignac for Tigres UANL against Necaxa (25 July 2020)[51]
Top goalscorers
Players sorted first by goals scored, then by last name.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonathan Rodríguez |
Cruz Azul | 12 |
| 2 |  André-Pierre Gignac |
UANL | 11 |
| 3 | Juan Ignacio Dinenno |
UNAM | 10 |
 Darío Lezcano |
Juárez | ||
| 5 |  Camilo Sanvezzo |
Mazatlán | 8 |
| 6 | Henry Martín |
América | 7 |
 Ángel Mena |
León | ||
| 8 | Alexis Canelo |
Toluca | 6 |
| Rogelio Funes Mori |
Monterrey | ||
| Nicolás López |
UANL | ||
| Santiago Ormeño |
Puebla | ||
| Hugo Silveira |
Querétaro | ||
| Federico Viñas |
América |
Source: Liga MX
Hat-tricks
| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Víctor Dávila |
Pachuca | Atlético San Luis | 3–1 | 3 September 2020 |
| Camilo Sanvezzo |
Mazatlán | Atlético San Luis | 5–0 | 29 October 2020 |
Final phase
Reclassification
- All rounds were played in a single game hosted by the higher seed
- If a game ended in a draw, it proceeded directly to a penalty shoot-out.
Bracket
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Finals | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | León | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Puebla | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | León | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Guadalajara | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | América | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Guadalajara | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | León | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | UNAM | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | UNAM | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Pachuca | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | UNAM (s) | 0 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Cruz Azul | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Cruz Azul | 3 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | UANL | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
- Teams were re-seeded each round.
- The winners of the Reclassification matches were seeded based on their ranking in the classification table.
- Team with more goals on aggregate after two matches advanced.
- Away goals rule was applied in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, but not the final.
- In the quarter-finals and semi-finals, if the two teams were tied on aggregate and away goals, the higher seeded team advanced.
- In the final, if the two teams were tied after both legs, the match went to extra time and, if necessary, a shoot-out.
- Both finalists qualified to the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League.
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals
Torneo Guard1anes 2021
The Clausura tournament was named Guard1anes 2021, in honour of the job healthcare workers have done during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico.[53] The tournament began on 7 January 2021.[54]
Regular phase
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cruz Azul (C) | 17 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 26 | 11 | +15 | 41 | Qualification for the quarter-finals[a] |
| 2 | América | 17 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 26 | 14 | +12 | 38[b] | |
| 3 | Puebla | 17 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 25 | 14 | +11 | 28 | |
| 4 | Monterrey | 17 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 22 | 13 | +9 | 28 | |
| 5 | Santos Laguna | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 13 | +5 | 26 | Qualification for the Reclassification[c] |
| 6 | León | 17 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 25 | 23 | +2 | 26 | |
| 7 | Atlas | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 15 | +5 | 25[b] | |
| 8 | Pachuca | 17 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 19 | +1 | 23 | |
| 9 | Guadalajara | 17 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 23 | |
| 10 | UANL | 17 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 20 | −1 | 23 | |
| 11 | Toluca | 17 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 26 | 24 | +2 | 22 | |
| 12 | Querétaro | 17 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 25 | −6 | 21 | |
| 13 | Mazatlán | 17 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 26 | −7 | 21 | |
| 14 | Tijuana | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 19 | 21 | −2 | 20 | |
| 15 | UNAM | 17 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 12 | −2 | 18 | |
| 16 | Juárez | 17 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 29 | −16 | 15 | |
| 17 | Atlético San Luis | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 20 | 33 | −13 | 12 | Team is last place in the coefficient table. |
| 18 | Necaxa | 17 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 29 | −15 | 11 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of goals scored away; 5) Head-to-head results between tied teams; 6) Highest relegation coefficient; 7) Fair Play points
(C) Champions
Notes:
- The first four places in the table qualified for the Liguilla quarter-finals.
- Teams ranked 5th to 12th in the table qualified for Reclassification
Positions by round
| Leader and qualification to Liguilla | |
| Qualification to Liguilla | |
| Qualification to Reclassification | |
| Last place in table |
Results
Teams played every other team once (either at home or away), completing a total of 17 rounds.
Individual statistics
- First goal of the season:
Santiago Ormeño for Puebla against Guadalajara (8 January 2021)[56]
Top goalscorers
Players sorted first by goals scored, then by last name.
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexis Canelo |
Toluca | 11 |
| 2 | Nicolás Ibáñez |
Atlético San Luis | 10 |
| 3 | Rogelio Funes Mori |
Monterrey | 9 |
| Santiago Ormeño |
Puebla | ||
| Jonathan Rodríguez |
Cruz Azul | ||
| 6 | Fidel Martínez |
Tijuana | 8 |
| Ángel Mena |
León | ||
| 8 | Henry Martín |
América | 7 |
| 9 | Víctor Dávila |
León | 6 |
| Michael Estrada |
Toluca | ||
| Nicolás López |
UANL | ||
| José Juan Macías |
Guadalajara | ||
| Ángel Sepúlveda |
Querétaro |
Source: Liga MX
Hat-tricks
| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexis Canelo |
Toluca | Mazatlán | 4–1 | 7 February 2021 |
| Santiago Ormeño |
Puebla | Juárez | 4–0 | 12 February 2021 |
Attendance
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico, the majority of matches in the beginning of the season were played behind closed doors.[57] On 7 January 2021, Liga MX announced states that are green and yellow on the traffic light monitoring system have the authorization to allow fans in attendance at a reduced capacity.[58] Mazatlán announced it would allow up to 7,575 fans in attendance (40% of stadium's capacity). On 12 January 2021, it was announced Necaxa would allow 30% capacity for their Week 2 match against Atlético San Luis.[59] Due to a rise in cases in the state of Aguascalientes, Necaxa did not allow fans in attendance for their Week 5 and 7 matches but later allowed fans in Week 9.[60][61]
On 1 March 2021, state authorities of Jalisco authorized the opening of Atlas and Guadalajara's stadiums at 30% capacity.[62] On 2 March 2021, Liga MX announced stadiums can be up to 50% capacity; the announcement came after various states' status went to yellow on the traffic light monitoring system.[63] That same day, the state authorities of Chihuahua authorized FC Juárez to have fans in attendance, also at 30% capacity.[64] As the season progressed, León, Pachuca, and Santos Laguna, were authorized to open their stadiums by their local Governments.[65][66][67]
| Home match played behind closed doors | |
| Away match | |
| Highest attended match | |
| Lowest attended match | |
| PPD | Match postponed |
| Team | Week | Total Att | Avg. | Total Pld | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | ||||
| América | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Atlas | 4,457 | 5,785 | 12,740 | 22,982 | 7,661 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Atlético San Luis | 5,175 | 5,448 | 10,623 | 5,312 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Cruz Azul | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Guadalajara | 10,141 | 4,704 | 4,806 | 11,076 | 30,727 | 7,682 | 4 | |||||||||||||
| Juárez | 5,211 | 5,780 | 5,911 | 3,191 | 20,093 | 5,023 | 4 | |||||||||||||
| León | 4,891 | 5,090 | 5,196 | 4,888 | 20,065 | 5,016 | 4 | |||||||||||||
| Mazatlán | 7,049 | 6,527 | 6,378 | 7,267 | 9,543 | 10,159 | 8,785 | 9,337 | 65,045 | 8,130 | 8 | |||||||||
| Monterrey | 10,167 | 9,279 | 9,767 | 29,213 | 9,737 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Necaxa | 3,726 | 4,948 | 4,153 | 8,099 | 4,726 | 6,127 | 31,779 | 5,297 | 6 | |||||||||||
| Pachuca | 5,801 | 5,325 | 6,533 | 17,659 | 5,886 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Puebla | 12,778 | 12,778 | 12,778 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Querétaro | 4,373 | 4,373 | 4,373 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Santos Laguna | 6,510 | 8,453 | 6,374 | 8,067 | 29,404 | 7,351 | 4 | |||||||||||||
| Tijuana | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Toluca | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| UANL | 5,605 | 12,225 | 17,830 | 8,915 | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| UNAM | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total | 7,049 | 3,726 | 0 | 6,527 | 0 | 6,378 | 0 | 7,267 | 10,159 | 16,053 | 20,812 | 38,733 | 20,162 | 28,005 | 44,341 | 57,986 | 45,373 | 312,571 | 6,946 | 45 |
Source: Liga MX
Highest and lowest
| Highest attended | Lowest attended[a] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week | Home | Score | Away | Attendance | Home | Score | Away | Attendance |
| 1 | Mazatlán | 3–2 | Necaxa | 7,049 | N/A | |||
| 2 | Necaxa | 1–0 | Atlético San Luis | 3,726 | N/A | |||
| 3 | No matches with fans in attendance | |||||||
| 4 | Mazatlán | 1–0 | Pachuca | 6,527 | N/A | |||
| 5 | No matches with fans in attendance | |||||||
| 6 | Mazatlán | 0–3 | Atlético San Luis | 6,378 | N/A | |||
| 7 | No matches with fans in attendance | |||||||
| 8 | Mazatlán | 3–0 | Querétaro | 7,267 | N/A | |||
| 9 | Juárez | 1–6 | Monterrey | 5,211 | Necaxa | 2–2 | Pachuca | 4,948 |
| 10 | Mazatlán | 1–1 | Guadalajara | 9,543 | Santos Laguna | 3–1 | Necaxa | 6,510 |
| 11 | Guadalajara | 0–3 | América | 10,141 | Juárez | 1–1 | UNAM | 5,780 |
| 12 | Mazatlán | 0–1 | América | 10,159 | Necaxa | 1–0 | Juárez | 4,153 |
| 13 | Juárez | 0–1 | Cruz Azul | 5,911 | Atlas | 1–0 | Tijuana | 4,457 |
| 14 | Necaxa | 0–1 | UNAM | 8,099 | Juárez | 2–1 | Atlético San Luis | 3,191 |
| 15 | Monterrey | 0–1 | Pachuca | 9,279 | Necaxa | 0–0 | Querétaro | 4,726 |
| 16 | Puebla | 0–0 | UNAM | 12,778 | Querétaro | 1–0 | Juárez | 4,373 |
| 17 | Guadalajara | 0–0 | UANL | 11,076 | León | 2–1 | Querétaro | 4,888 |
Source: Liga MX
- ^ Does not include matches played behind closed doors.
Final phase
Reclassification
- All rounds were played in a single game hosted by the higher seed
- If a game ended in a draw, it proceeded directly to a penalty shoot-out.
Bracket
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Finals | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Cruz Azul | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Toluca | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Cruz Azul | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Pachuca | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | América | 1 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Pachuca (a) | 3 | 2 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Cruz Azul | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Santos Laguna | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Puebla (s) | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Atlas | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Puebla | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Santos Laguna | 3 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Monterrey | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Santos Laguna | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
- Teams were re-seeded each round.
- The winners of the Reclassification matches were seeded based on their ranking in the classification table.
- Team with more goals on aggregate after two matches advanced.
- Away goals rule was applied in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, but not the final.
- In the quarter-finals and semi-finals, if the two teams were tied on aggregate and away goals, the higher seeded team advanced.
- In the final, if the two teams were tied after both legs, the match went to extra time and, if necessary, a shoot-out.
- Both finalists qualified to the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League.
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santos Laguna | 1–2 | Cruz Azul | 0–1 | 1–1 |
Coefficient table
As of the 2020–21 season, the promotion and relegation between Liga MX and Liga de Expansión MX (formerly known as Ascenso MX) was suspended, however, the coefficient table will be used to establish the payment of fines that will be used for the development of the clubs of the silver circuit.[68]
Per Article 24 of the competition regulations, the payment of $MXN240 million will be distributed among the last three positioned in the coefficient table as follows: 120 million in the last place; 70 million the penultimate; and 50 million will be paid by the sixteenth team in the table.[69]
The team that finishes last on the table will start the following season with a coefficient of zero. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic suspending the Clausura 2020 season, the points obtained in the 2020–21 season between matches not held in the Clausura 2020, will now count as double for the 2020–21 coefficient.[69]
| Pos |
Team | '18 A Pts |
'19 C Pts |
'19 A Pts |
'20 C Pts[a] |
'20 G Pts |
'21 G Pts |
Total Pts |
Total Pld |
Avg |
GD |
Fine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | América | 33 | 29 | 31 | 20 + 14 | 32 | 38 | 197 | 103 | 1.9126 | +31 | Fine avoided |
| 2 | Cruz Azul | 36 | 30 | 23 | 23 + 12 | 29 | 41 | 194 | 103 | 1.8738 | +33 | |
| 3 | León | 18 | 41 | 33 | 21 + 8 | 40 | 26 | 187 | 103 | 1.8155 | +39 | |
| 4 | UANL | 29 | 37 | 32 | 17 + 11 | 28 | 23 | 177 | 103 | 1.7184 | +25 | |
| 5 | Santos Laguna | 30 | 22 | 37 | 18 + 11 | 25 | 26 | 169 | 103 | 1.6408 | +24 | |
| 6 | Monterrey | 30 | 30 | 27 | 6 + 8 | 29 | 28 | 158 | 103 | 1.5340 | +11 | |
| 7 | UNAM | 30 | 17 | 23 | 21 + 13 | 32 | 18 | 154 | 103 | 1.4951 | +12 | |
| 8 | Pachuca | 24 | 28 | 25 | 14 + 8 | 25 | 23 | 147 | 103 | 1.4272 | +10 | |
| 9 | Guadalajara | 20 | 18 | 25 | 16 + 9 | 26 | 23 | 137 | 103 | 1.3301 | +5 | |
| 10 | Puebla | 20 | 24 | 17 | 18 + 7 | 20 | 28 | 134 | 103 | 1.3010 | –3 | |
| 11 | Toluca | 26 | 25 | 17 | 10 + 7 | 21 | 22 | 128 | 103 | 1.2427 | –15 | |
| 12 | Querétaro | 26 | 11 | 31 | 14 + 10 | 13 | 21 | 126 | 103 | 1.2233 | –1 | |
| 13 | Necaxa | 14 | 29 | 31 | 11 + 3 | 24 | 11 | 123 | 103 | 1.1942 | –8 | |
| 14 | Mazatlán[b] | 25 | 13 | 27 | 14 + 4 | 16 | 21 | 120 | 103 | 1.1650 | –8 | |
| 15 | Tijuana | 17 | 18 | 24 | 9 + 7 | 15 | 20 | 120 | 103 | 1.1650 | –33 | |
| 16 | Juárez[c] (F) | 19 | 20 | 18 | 14 + 7 | 19 | 15 | 112 | 103 | 1.0874 | –27 | MX$50M |
| 17 | Atlas (F) | 11 | 19 | 21 | 10 + 6 | 14 | 25 | 106 | 103 | 1.0291 | –16 | MX$70M |
| 18 | Atlético San Luis (F) | Ascenso MX | 20 | 13 + 8 | 11 | 12 | 64 | 69 | 0.9275 | –45 | MX$120M | |
Rules for fine payment: 1) Fine coefficient; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results between tied teams; 5) Number of goals scored away; 6) Fair Play points
F = Team will have to pay fine indicated.
Source: Liga MX
- ^ Includes the points obtained in the 2020–21 season against clubs they did not face in the Clausura 2020.
- ^
- ^ 2018–19 points were accumulated as Lobos BUAP.
Aggregate table
The aggregate table (the sum of points of both the Guardianes 2020 and Guardianes 2021 tournaments) will be used to determine participants in the 2021 Leagues Cup.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cruz Azul (C, X) | 34 | 22 | 4 | 8 | 49 | 27 | +22 | 70 | Champions League[a] |
| 2 | América | 34 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 57 | 36 | +21 | 70[b] | |
| 3 | León (C, A) | 34 | 20 | 6 | 8 | 52 | 37 | +15 | 66 | Champions League and Leagues Cup[c] |
| 4 | Monterrey | 34 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 48 | 34 | +14 | 57 | |
| 5 | UANL | 34 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 46 | 36 | +10 | 51 | Leagues Cup |
| 6 | Santos Laguna | 34 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 42 | 33 | +9 | 51 | Champions League and Leagues Cup[d] |
| 7 | UNAM | 34 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 39 | 29 | +10 | 50 | Champions League and Leagues Cup[e] |
| 8 | Guadalajara | 34 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 41 | 38 | +3 | 49 | |
| 9 | Puebla | 34 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 47 | 39 | +8 | 48 | |
| 10 | Pachuca | 34 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 38 | 33 | +5 | 48 | |
| 11 | Toluca | 34 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 49 | 52 | −3 | 43 | |
| 12 | Atlas | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 33 | 35 | −2 | 39[b] | |
| 13 | Mazatlán | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 43 | 57 | −14 | 37 | |
| 14 | Tijuana | 34 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 31 | 48 | −17 | 35 | |
| 15 | Necaxa | 34 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 30 | 49 | −19 | 35 | |
| 16 | Querétaro | 34 | 9 | 7 | 18 | 42 | 53 | −11 | 34 | |
| 17 | Juárez | 34 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 29 | 48 | −19 | 34 | |
| 18 | Atlético San Luis | 34 | 6 | 5 | 23 | 36 | 68 | −32 | 23 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results between tied teams; 5) Number of goals scored away; 6) Highest relegation coefficient; 7) Fair Play points
(A) Apertura champion (Guardianes 2020); (C) Champions; (X) Clausura champion (Guardianes 2021)
Notes:
- As Guard1anes 2021 champions (MEX2)
- As Guard1anes 2020 champions (MEX1)
- As Guard1anes 2021 runners-up (MEX4)
- As Guard1anes 2020 runners-up (MEX3)
Notes
- Although appointed on 11 August 2020, Cocca would not immediately take charge. Due to league schedule and the mandatory COVID-19 testing, his first match was delayed to 22 August 2020 vs Querétaro.[16]
- The team was eliminated from Liga MX; however, Cruz Azul had to play in the CONCACAF Champions League, and an interim manager was appointed to finish the tournament.