# Guardianes 2021 Liga MX final phase

The Torneo Guardianes 2021 (stylized as Guard1anes) Liga MX final phase was played between 8 May 2021 to 30 May 2021. A total of 12 teams competed in the final phase to decide the champions of the Guardianes 2021 Liga MX season. For the second straight season, an additional qualifying round, the reclassification or repechaje, was employed, which expanded the number of playoff spots to 12.
Both finalists qualified to the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League.

## Qualified teams

The following teams qualified for the championship stage.
In the following tables, the number of appearances, last appearance, and previous best result count only those in the short tournament era starting from Invierno 1996 (not counting those in the long tournament era from 1943–44 to 1995–96).
Qualified directly to quarter-finals (4 teams) :
| Seed | Team | Points (GD) | Date of qualification | Appearance | Last appearance | Previous best |
| 1 | Cruz Azul | 41 | 20 March 2021 | 30th | Guardianes 2020 | Champions (Invierno 1997) |
| 2 | América | 38 | 3 April 2021 | 35th | Guardianes 2020 | Champions (5 times) |
| 3 | Puebla | 28 (+11) | 17 April 2021 | 9th | Guardianes 2020 | Semifinals (3 times) |
| 4 | Monterrey | 28 (+9) | 16 April 2021 | 25th | Guardianes 2020 | Champions (4 times) |
Qualified to Reclassification round (8 teams) :
| Seed | Team | Points (GD) | Date of qualification | Appearance | Last appearance | Previous best |
| 5 | Santos Laguna | 26 (+5) | 18 April 2021 | 32nd | Guardianes 2020 | Champions (6 times) |
| 6 | León | 26 (+2) | 30 April 2021 | 13th | Guardianes 2020 | Champions (3 times) |
| 7 | Atlas | 25 | 30 April 2021 | 22nd | Apertura 2017 | Runners-up (Verano 1999) |
| 8 | Pachuca | 23 (+1) | 29 April 2021 | 23rd | Guardianes 2020 | Champions (6 times) |
| 9 | Guadalajara | 23 (0) | 1 May 2021 | 27th | Guardianes 2020 | Champions (3 times) |
| 10 | UANL | 23 (–1) | 1 May 2021 | 27th | Guardianes 2020 | Champions (5 times) |
| 11 | Toluca | 22 | 1 May 2021 | 34th | Guardianes 2020 | Champions (7 times) |
| 12 | Querétaro | 21 | 2 May 2021 | 12th | Apertura 2019 | Runners-up (Clausura 2015) |

## Format
### Reclassification

* All rounds will be played in a single-leg hosted by the higher seed
* If a game ends in a draw, it will proceed directly to a penalty shoot-out.

### Liguilla

* Teams are re-seeded after each round.
* The winners of the Reclassification matches are seeded based on their ranking in the classification table.
* Team with more goals on aggregate after two matches advance.
* Away goals rule is applied in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, but not the final.
* In the quarter-finals and semi-finals, if the two teams are tied on aggregate and away goals, the higher seeded team advances.
* In the final, if the two teams are tied after both legs, the match will go to extra time and, if necessary, a shoot-out.
* Both finalists will qualify to the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League.

## Reclassification
### Summary

Matches took place on 8–9 May 2021.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Santos Laguna | 5–0 | Querétaro |
| León | 2–2 (2–4 p) | Toluca |
| Atlas | 1–0 | UANL |
| Pachuca | 4–2 | Guadalajara |

### Matches
## Seeding

The following was the final seeding for the final phase. The winners of the Reclassification matches were seeded based on their position in the classification table.
| Seed | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Cruz Azul | 17 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 26 | 11 | +15 | 41 |
| 2 | América | 17 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 26 | 14 | +12 | 38 |
| 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 |
| 6 | Atlas | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 15 | +5 | 25 |
| 7 | Pachuca | 17 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 19 | +1 | 23 |
| 8 | Toluca | 17 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 26 | 24 | +2 | 22 |

## Bracket

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Cruz Azul | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Toluca | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Toluca | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Cruz Azul | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 7 | Pachuca | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | |
| 2 | América | 1 | 4 | 5 | 7 | Pachuca | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | |
| 7 | Pachuca (a) | 3 | 2 | 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 | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Santos Laguna | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Atlas | 1 | 0 | 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 | 3 | 0 | 3 | | | | | |
| 5 | Santos Laguna | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |

## Quarter-finals
### Summary

The first legs were played on 12–13 May, and the second legs were played on 15–16 May.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Toluca | 3–4 | Cruz Azul | 2–1 | 1–3 |
| Pachuca | 5–5 (a) | América | 3–1 | 2–4 |
| Atlas | 1–1 (s) | Puebla | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| Santos Laguna | 3–2 | Monterrey | 2–1 | 1–1 |

### Matches
#### Second leg

1–1 on aggregate and tied on away goals. Puebla advanced due to being the higher seed in the classification table.
Cruz Azul won 4–3 on aggregate.
Santos Laguna won 3–2 on aggregate.
5–5 on aggregate. Pachuca won on away goals.

## Semi-finals
### Summary

The first legs will be played on 19–20 May, and the second legs will be played on 22–23 May.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Pachuca | 0–1 | Cruz Azul | 0–0 | 0–1 |
| Santos Laguna | 3–1 | Puebla | 3–0 | 0–1 |

### Matches
#### Second leg

Cruz Azul won 1–0 on aggregate.
Santos Laguna won 3–1 on aggregate.

## Finals
### Summary

The first leg was played on 27 May, and the second leg was played on 30 May.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Santos Laguna | 1–2 | Cruz Azul | 0–1 | 1–1 |

### Matches
#### Details

| Santos Laguna | Cruz Azul |
| GK | 1 | Carlos Acevedo (c) |
| DF | 8 | Carlos Orrantia | 83' |
| DF | 5 | Félix Torres |
| DF | 21 | Dória |
| DF | 190 | Omar Campos |
| MF | 11 | Fernando Gorriarán | 77' |
| MF | 6 | Alan Cervantes |
| MF | 7 | Juan Ferney Otero |
| MF | 10 | Diego Valdés |
| MF | 32 | Ayrton Preciado | 77' |
| FW | 19 | Eduardo Aguirre | 87' |
| Substitutions: ||
| GK | 25 | Gibrán Lajud |
| DF | 3 | Ismael Govea |
| DF | 20 | Hugo Rodríguez |
| MF | 14 | David Andrade |
| MF | 22 | Ronaldo Prieto |
| MF | 23 | Andrés Ibargüen | 77' |
| MF | 27 | Jesús Isijara | 83' |
| FW | 12 | Alberto Ocejo |
| FW | 30 | Ignacio Jeraldino | 87' |
| FW | 192 | Santiago Muñóz | 77' |
| Manager: ||
| Guillermo Almada ||
| GK | 1 | José de Jesús Corona (c) |
| DF | 24 | Juan Escobar |
| DF | 23 | Pablo Aguilar |
| DF | 4 | Julio César Domínguez |
| DF | 16 | Adrián Aldrete | 86' |
| MF | 22 | Rafael Baca |
| MF | 15 | Ignacio Rivero | 70' |
| MF | 7 | Luis Romo | 86' |
| MF | 28 | Guillermo Fernández | 78' |
| MF | 19 | Yoshimar Yotún | 70' |
| FW | 21 | Jonathan Rodríguez |
| Substitutions: ||
| GK | 33 | Sebastián Jurado |
| DF | 3 | Jaiber Jiménez |
| DF | 5 | Alexis Peña |
| DF | 12 | José Joaquín Martínez | 78' |
| MF | 11 | Elías Hernández | 86' |
| MF | 14 | Misael Domínguez |
| MF | 20 | Alexis Gutiérrez |
| MF | 31 | Orbelín Pineda | 70' |
| MF | 9 | Walter Montoya | 70' |
| FW | 29 | Santiago Giménez | 86' |
| Manager: ||
| Juan Reynoso ||
* Assistant referees:
* Michel Alejandro Morales (Mexico City)
* José Ibrahim Martínez (Guerrero)
* Fourth official:
* Diego Montaño Robles (Jalisco)
* Video assistant referee:
* Jorge Isaac Rojas (Mexico City)
* Assistant video assistant referee:
* Gerardo Martínez Bravo (Guanajuato)

#### Statistics

| Statistic | Santos Laguna | Cruz Azul |
| Goals scored | 0 | 1 |
| Total shots | 16 | 8 |
| Shots on target | 1 | 4 |
| Saves | 3 | 1 |
| Ball possession | 65% | 35% |
| Corner kicks | 9 | 8 |
| Fouls committed | 5 | 13 |
| Offsides | 1 | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 0 | 0 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |

#### Second leg

Cruz Azul won 2–1 on aggregate.

#### Details

| Cruz Azul | Santos Laguna |
| GK | 1 | José de Jesús Corona (c) |
| DF | 24 | Juan Escobar |
| DF | 23 | Pablo Aguilar |
| DF | 4 | Julio César Domínguez |
| DF | 15 | Ignacio Rivero | | 83' |
| MF | 22 | Rafael Baca |
| MF | 31 | Orbelín Pineda | | 46' |
| MF | 7 | Luis Romo |
| MF | 28 | Guillermo Fernández | | 63' |
| MF | 25 | Roberto Alvarado | | 46' |
| FW | 21 | Jonathan Rodríguez | | 87' |
| Substitutions: ||
| GK | 33 | Sebastián Jurado |
| DF | 5 | Alexis Peña |
| DF | 12 | José Joaquín Martínez | | 87' |
| DF | 16 | Adrián Aldrete | | 63' |
| MF | 11 | Elías Hernández |
| MF | 14 | Misael Domínguez |
| MF | 19 | Yoshimar Yotún | | 46' |
| MF | 9 | Walter Montoya | | 83' |
| FW | 17 | Brayan Angulo |
| FW | 29 | Santiago Giménez | 90+10' | 46' |
| Manager: ||
| Juan Reynoso ||
| GK | 1 | Carlos Acevedo (c) |
| DF | 8 | Carlos Orrantia |
| DF | 5 | Félix Torres |
| DF | 21 | Dória | 90+10' |
| DF | 190 | Omar Campos |
| MF | 11 | Fernando Gorriarán | | 56' |
| MF | 6 | Alan Cervantes |
| MF | 7 | Juan Ferney Otero | | 78' |
| MF | 10 | Diego Valdés |
| MF | 32 | Ayrton Preciado | | 69' |
| FW | 19 | Eduardo Aguirre | | 70' |
| Substitutions: ||
| GK | 25 | Gibrán Lajud |
| DF | 3 | Ismael Govea |
| DF | 20 | Hugo Rodríguez |
| MF | 22 | Ronaldo Prieto | | 56' |
| MF | 23 | Andrés Ibargüen | | 69' |
| MF | 27 | Jesús Isijara |
| MF | 202 | Jordan Carrillo |
| FW | 12 | Alberto Ocejo | | 78' |
| FW | 30 | Ignacio Jeraldino |
| FW | 192 | Santiago Muñóz | | 70' |
| Manager: ||
| Guillermo Almada ||
* Assistant referees:
* Alberto Morín Méndez (Chihuahua)
* Karen Janet Díaz (Aguascalientes)
* Fourth official:
* Luis Enrique Santander (Guanajuato)
* Video assistant referee:
* Erick Yair Miranda (Guanajuato)
* Assistant video assistant referee:
* Marcos Quintero Huitrón (Jalisco)

#### Statistics

| Statistic | Cruz Azul | Santos Laguna |
| Goals scored | 1 | 1 |
| Total shots | 9 | 11 |
| Shots on target | 3 | 1 |
| Saves | 0 | 2 |
| Ball possession | 36% | 64% |
| Corner kicks | 6 | 8 |
| Fouls committed | 13 | 11 |
| Offsides | 0 | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 1 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |

## Statistics
### Goalscorers

There were 48 goals scored in 18 matches, for an average of 2.67 goals per match.
5 goals
* Eduardo Aguirre (Santos Laguna)
3 goals
* Alexis Canelo (Toluca)
* Ayrton Preciado (Santos Laguna)
2 goals
* Uriel Antuna (Guadalajara)
* Roberto de la Rosa (Pachuca)
* Santiago Giménez (Cruz Azul)
* Roger Martínez (América)
* Óscar Murillo (Pachuca)
* Jonathan Rodríguez (Cruz Azul)
* Leonardo Suárez (América)
* Diego Valdés (Santos Laguna)
1 goal
* Érick Aguirre (Pachuca)
* Fidel Ambríz (León)
* Brayan Angulo (Cruz Azul)
* Gustavo Cabral (Pachuca)
* Kevin Castañeda (Toluca)
* Luis Chávez (Pachuca)
* Víctor Dávila (León)
* Michael Estrada (Toluca)
* Guillermo Fernández (Cruz Azul)
* Luis Fuentes (América)
* Julio Furch (Atlas)
* Fernando Gorriarán (Santos Laguna)
* Romario Ibarra (Pachuca)
* Vincent Janssen (Monterrey)
* Maximiliano Meza (Monterrey)
* Santiago Ormeño (Puebla)
* Felipe Pardo (Pachuca)
* Ronaldo Prieto (Santos Laguna)
* Luis Romo (Cruz Azul)
* Jairo Torres (Atlas)
1 own goal
* Anderson Santamaría (against Puebla)

### Assists

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