Chivas Stall Just When They Need Points Most for the Liguilla

Three games without a win and a schedule that offers no breathing room. Chivas came flying into the Apertura 2026, settled among the best teams in the standings, but something stalled along the way and now the Rebaño needs to find answers before the Liguilla comes knocking.

Gabriel Milito's side sits in fourth place with 19 points, a position any fan base would happily sign off on at this stage of the tournament. The problem is how the team got there, and more importantly, how that momentum has been slipping away in recent weeks.

Let's look back at how that strong run was built. After losing in Matchday 1 to Toluca, Chivas regrouped and put together an unbeaten streak of eight matches between Matchdays 2 and 9, picking up 18 points over that stretch. That's when the team fully entered the race for the top spots.

But the good run started cracking right in the Clasico Nacional. Chivas had the match in hand, leading 2-0 against America, and ended up conceding the equalizer after Miguel Borja's goal changed the whole complexion of the game. Nothing has been the same since: they lost at home to Queretaro and, after the FIFA break, couldn't beat Atlas in the Clasico Tapatio either. Three matches, not a single win. Milito didn't hide when breaking down what happened and was self-critical, especially regarding the loss to Gallos Blancos:

It's three games without a win, and each one has a different nuance. The first game, against America, we had it under control and were winning 2-0, but after Borja's goal the opponent came alive. We couldn't hold on to the lead we had earned, and we ended up drawing. The game against Queretaro was bad, mainly in the second half, as a result of my poor decisions. Not because of the players, but because, in trying to do things well and improve the team's performance, sometimes coaches, or at least me in this case, end up breaking the team apart. That's the game that worries me most, not because of the players' level, but because of my own self assessment and the need to make better decisions.Gabriel Milito

A Trial by Fire Against the Teams Up Top

There's a stat that's hard to ignore and explains much of the concern in Guadalajara: the Rebaño still can't get the better of the teams currently inside the top eight. In Matchday 1 they fell 0-2 to Toluca, and in Matchday 10 they lost by the same score to Queretaro, both setbacks coming at Estadio Akron, of all places, where they're supposed to set the terms. The only clear bright spot against a team from the upper half? The 5-2 win over Xolos in Matchday 5, a result that came right after a turbulent week following Armando "Hormiga" Gonzalez's departure for Olympiacos. Against America and Atlas, meanwhile, there were only draws, so the unfinished business remains open. And two important tests still remain: Chivas will face Leon and Cruz Azul in the final two matchdays of the regular phase, the two matches that could ultimately decide whether the team arrives at the Liguilla strong or arrives doubting itself.

Before that, there's a must-win date at Estadio Akron on Saturday: Chivas hosts Tigres for Matchday 12. The Regiomontanos aren't in a qualifying spot, but they arrive having played their last two matches at a good level, so they won't be an easy opponent to snap the skid against.