'Chivas will miss the playoffs' - Mexican media reacts to El Rebaño draw vs Mazatlán FC

Mexican media didn’t hold back after Chivas' frustrating 1-1 draw with Mazatlán FC — a result that severely dents their hopes of reaching the Liguilla. Headlines slammed the team’s poor finishing and lack of discipline, especially after conceding a stoppage-time penalty and finishing with nine men following two red cards. Despite taking the lead through Teun Wilke, El Rebaño let it slip, allowing Luis Amarilla to equalize in the 94th minute.

Chivas now sit 12th in the table, winless in their last five league matches, and face an uphill battle to secure a playoff spot. The absence of Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, sidelined with an ankle injury, only added to their woes. With just two matches remaining in the Clausura 2025, the pressure is mounting on coach Gerardo Espinoza to spark a turnaround — starting with a must-win home game against Puebla on Tuesday.

Former footballer Rafa Puente didn’t mince words: “Chivas won’t make it to the Liguilla. They don’t have enough,” he said bluntly.

ESPN analyst and ex-Chivas sporting director Paco Gabriel de Anda offered a more measured take: “There are still two games left,” he said. “I won’t evaluate Gerardo Espinoza’s work until the season is over.”

"Honestly, I think the team was well positioned, we had the game under control. We also had some key chances to finish it off, but we missed opportunities. Then we started to complicate things ourselves and got into trouble on our own," said Espinoza after the 1-1 draw against Mazatlán FC.

"I haven’t had the chance to watch replays, so I can’t comment on the refereeing. I’ve always trusted that they do their job well and try to do it the best way possible. I focus these kinds of situations on us — on letting results slip away," he said regarding the controversial performance of the match official.

Chivas have gone 10 tournaments without winning a Liga MX title. Their last championship came in the Clausura 2017 under Matías Almeyda. The most recent chance Chivas had to end their title drought came in the Clausura 2023, when they were leading 2-0 against Tigres in the second leg of the final at home. However, they let the lead slip away after goals from Sebastián Córdova, André-Pierre Gignac, and Guido Pizarro, which handed Tigres the title and spoiled what could’ve been a historic night for the Rojiblancos.

With only two games remaining in the Clausura 2025, Gerardo Espinoza’s squad is hanging on to slim playoff hopes. Although their chances of reaching the liguilla appear remote, they’re still alive mathematically. On Matchday 16, they’ll host Puebla in a must-win match, knowing they can’t afford any more slip-ups if they want to stay in contention.