Monterrey finished as the top team in the Liga MX Apertura 2017, in first with 37 points after 17 weeks of play. The offense always seems to be the major talking point about the team with players like Aviles Hurtado, Dorlan Pabon, Rogelio Funes Mori, and Carlos Sanchez.
That offense proved to be the best in the Liga MX with 29 total goals and Aviles Hurtado was the league’s joint top scorer with 11 goals. While the offense does get a lot of credit, the defense has not produced as many story-lines and has been just as crucial to this team as the attack. The back line was the best in Mexico’s top division, only allowing 12 goals in 17 games. Goalkeeper Hugo Gonzalez and the defense managed to get eight clean sheets throughout the season and will be tough to break down in the playoffs.
Antonio Mohamed has used a counter-attacking style with this Monterrey team and the defense deserves the same amount of credit as the offense to its success. Recently Mohamed has been trying a five at the back formation but it has usually been a 4 at the back formation for Los Rayados. Both are very effective and there is depth in those defensive roles with players that can fill in for the consistent starters on the bench.
Stefan Medina has usually been the right-back and has been one of the most solid players as he has managed to be consistently called up by the Colombian national team. There are three very potent centre-back options in captain Jose Maria Basanta, Mexican international Cesar Montes and Nicolas Sanchez.
The obvious options to start in a four-back formation are Basanta and Montes but Sanchez has had such a great season that it has earned him consistent playing time. Finally, in the left-back spot, there are two very solid options in Luis Fuentes, who has exceeded expectations in this Apertura and Leonel Vangioni, who has adapted very well in his first Liga MX season. La Pandilla is the favorite to win the title after defeating Tigres UANL in the Clasico Regio and will now face Atlas in the quarterfinals of the Apertura 2017.
