Stats are from the regular season only Source: Liga MX
The 2020–21 Liga MX season (known as the Liga BBVA MX for sponsorship reasons) was the 74th professional season of the top-flight football league in Mexico. The season was divided into two championships—the Torneo Guardianes 2020 and the Torneo Guardianes 2021—each in an identical format and each contested by the same eighteen teams. Both the Apertura 2020 and Clausura 2021 tournaments were renamed "Torneo Guardianes 2020" and "Torneo Guardianes 2021" (stylized as Guard1anes) to honor healthcare workers in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico.[1][2] The Guardianes 2020 tournament began on 24 July 2020.[3]
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]
The Apertura tournament was named Guardianes 2020, in honour of the job healthcare workers have done during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. The tournament began on 24 July 2020.
Source: Liga MX 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 Clausura tournament was named Guardianes 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]
Source: Liga MX 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:
^ abAmérica was penalized for having an ineligible player on the bench in their Week 7 match against Atlas. América originally won the match 0–2 but were docked the 3 points obtained for the victory. Atlas were given a 3–0 victory and the 3 points docked from América.[55]
^Teams ranked 5th to 12th in the table qualified for Reclassification
Source: Liga MX Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win. For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.
Regular season 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.
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]
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]
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
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.
^ abAmérica was penalized for having an ineligible player on the bench in their Guardianes 2021 Week 7 match against Atlas. América originally won the match 0–2 but were docked the 3 points obtained for the victory. Atlas were given a 3–0 victory and the 3 points docked from América.[55]
^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.