Liga MX final preview: Players to watch for Toluca, Pachuca

The Liga MX final takes place on Thursday at Toluca and Sunday at Pachuca. The winner of the tournament will win the 2022 Apertura tournament. Toluca are aiming for their 11th title. Pachaucu are looking to avoid back-to-back final defeats.

Toluca won the Liguilla after a difficult regular season. Toluca beat FC Juarez 3-0 in the play-in round, Santos Laguna 6-4 on aggregate in quarterfinals and Club America 3,2 on the aggregate.

Toluca are in the semifinals of the Mexican Championship. Manager Ignacio Ambriz has outcoached superior teams. Toluca have a better expected goals against (xGA) than Pachuca. They have 37.17 goals scored compared to 22.72 expected. They had a roster overhaul over the summer.

Volpi, Jean Meneses and Leonardo Fernandez are the top players in Liga MX this season. Marcel Ruiz is considered the most underrated player in the league. He has provided eight goals and four assists for Toluca. He also has been influential through six goals.

Toluca are playing in the final of the Liga MX. They are the third-most winning team in Liga Mexico. Their coach Ambriz is back in Mexico after a spell in Spain. They have won more titles than members of Liga's "big four" teams like Cruz Azul (9), Pumas (7) and Chivas (11).

Pachuca finished the Apertura in fourth place. They beat Tigres in the quarterfinals and Monterrey in semifinals. Toluca reached the previous championship series in Clausura.

Toluca and Pachuca are playing in the Liga MX final. Toluca's manager is credited with their successful season. Nicolas Ibañez finished as the Golden Boot winner for the Apertura season with 11 goals. Pachauca lost the first leg of the Clausura final to Atlas. The first game is important for them. They lost in a similar situation in which they were one goal behind in both legs.

Ibañez is the focal point of the attack and a crucial target man. Sanchez and Chavez are the central midfielders of Mexico's preliminary World Cup roster. They are both well-rounded and play well together.

Pachuca won the Apertura title. The team has a good balance of academy products and experienced foreign additions. Pachucas lost to Atlas in the Liga MX final last season.  Pachaucos have some of the most exciting up-and-coming players in Mexican soccer.

Pachuca finished five points above Toluca, who finished second. Ibañez believes it's going to be a close final.