This Liga MX season has been an interesting one, especially for Atlas fans. These fans went from potentially seeing their team have to pay a $120M mxn fine in 2020 to qualifying to two straight playoffs in 2021. Additionally, Atlas F.C. finished in 2nd place with 29 points for this Apertura 2021 season.

Now ‘los zorros’ have to continue their impressive season and reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2004. Nevertheless, ‘los rojinegros’ won’t have an easy task as they have to get through Monterrey first, who are the current CONCACAF Champions League winners.

Here are two reasons why Atlas fans can be hopefuls of breaking their league title drought. Although it’s been 70 years since they last won any silverware, there’s reasons to believe that ‘este siglo es el bueno’.

1. Coincidental Champion Pattern

Since the implementation of a play-in stage (“repechaje”) in the mexican league, there’s been a particular pattern when it comes to crowning a new champion. To fully understand this pattern, we’d have to go in a step-by-step process:

It’s been a recurring theme that the current Liga MX champions get knocked out in the play-in spots despite being crowned the best crowned the best team the previous season. In the past three seasons, Monterrey (Apertura 2019 winner), Leon (Apertura 2020 winner), and Cruz Azul (Clausura 2020 winner) failed to finish within the top 4 for automatic qualification to the playoffs. This led them to play in ‘el repechaje’. Despite having home-field advantage, all three of these teams have fallen short of defending their crown.

The second part of this pattern is that the team who knocks out the defending champion loses to the eventual champions. For example, Puebla and Toluca both knocked out the current champions at the time: Monterrey and Leon. In the Apertura 2020 season, Puebla was knocked-out by eventual winners Leon in quarter-finals. In the Clausura 2021 season, Toluca was knocked-out by eventual winners Cruz Azul in quarter-finals.

If this trend continues, Atlas could get their hands on their first league title since 1951. They’re currently facing Monterrey in quarter-finals, who knocked out defending champions Cruz Azul in the play-in.

2. 2021 Is The Curse-Breaking Year

The second reason to believe that this is the year for Atlas is because this is every cursed-team’s year! All throughout the soccer world, clubs have been breaking their trophy droughts. For example, Sporting Club de Portugal ended their 19-year drought after winning Liga NOS this year. In Spain, Atletico Madrid edged passed Barcelona and Real Madrid to win La Liga for the first time since 2014. Even in Mexico last season, Cruz Azul ended their 24-year league title drought after winning the Clausura 2021.

The list could go on and on of clubs breaking their voodoos and curses. And if these clubs did it, why can’t Atlas! Like every one in Mexico says now: “If Cruz Azul won the league, then anything is possible!”.

‘Este Siglo Es El Bueno’

As mentioned above, “this century is the one” for Atlas. Aside from having an impressive season so far, everything is pointing towards a potential title. With all of the coincidences occurring in both Liga MX and the soccer world, it’s fair to start placing bets on ‘los rojinegros’. This loyal fanbase has been through a lot in the past decades, and a title could cure those wounds.

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