EL CLÁSICO NACIONAL NO TIENE CADUCIDAD

The recent thrashings of América over Chivas have sparked a debate that has many pondering the future of the Clásico Nacional. Is it coming to an end? Is it at risk of extinction? Is Chivas no longer a rival for América?

Indeed, even days ago, in this very space, I made it clear that between Chivas and América, today there is only one big team; the statistics are clear and decisive – and in the face of numbers, few things remain to be debated.

América has won more matches between them. América has won more league titles, Concacaf titles, Cups, and Super Cups. The only final they contested was also won by América. Let’s say that, statistically, there’s nothing left for Guadalajara.

Fortunately, football goes beyond statistics and moments. That’s why the fans’ hope always remains intact. “What if we win this time? What if we defeat them now?” is probably the discourse that invites ‘Chiva brothers’ to recover from defeats time and time again. If we add that unwavering faith to episodes where their team achieved the unthinkable against the hated rival, the expectation grows in such a way that there will always be memories to confirm that causing an ‘upset’ is possible.

How to explain that being so superior in recent years, and clearly having better human material on the field, Chivas managed to come back against América a couple of tournaments ago at the Estadio Azteca?

Well, that’s it; football is made of these kinds of stories. Otherwise, everything would be very predictable and boring. A red card, an own goal, a penalty, or simply the ‘favorite’ not performing on the day and being surpassed.

What should be quite worrying is that for a while now, Chivas has arrived with this ‘victim’ and ‘underdog’ role against América, when a classic is supposed to be a battle on equal terms, where the best face off, and there’s never a clear favorite.

The incredible stadium of Guadalajara was inaugurated in the summer of 2010. The Akron could well be the best stadium in our country (competing with the Estadio BBVA). However, all that beauty has only served to witness the countless defeats of Chivas against América.

Tournament after tournament, the rojiblanca [Chivas] fans fill the stadium on derby day, and few times have they left home happy. Out of 17 encounters, the Eagles [América] have emerged victorious on 10 occasions, drawn 4 times, and only suffered defeat 3 times.

But just as we talk about this overwhelming statistic today, we should go back to the 2000s, where the situation was completely different. In those times, Guadalajara managed to win 10 out of the 18 derbies played from 2006 to 2012.

What do I mean by this? Streaks and eras come to an end, and the superiority that the Eagles currently show over the herd [Chivas] will not be the same someday. And although the business model of one team and another is completely different, and the trend may lead us to think that América will be more competitive than Chivas, I’m afraid to say to the azulcremas [América fans] that these golden eras are not eternal.

For the herd, I can say that better times will come. Those eras like those of Chepo de la Torre or Matías Almeyda will return someday, and although they certainly compete at a kind of “disadvantage,” the project will come where fans, coaching staff, and players find their best version to return (at least for a while) to the Guadalajara that everyone wants to see.

Today, we could debate whether André Jardine’s team is on its way to becoming one of the most spectacular and effective in history. The squad that the América board has put together, along with the capacity demonstrated by the Brazilian strategist, lead us to believe that this can be real.

But no matter how long it lasts, there is no team that can maintain this level throughout life. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Milan, Juventus, Liverpool. No one is exempt from bad times and crises, in which others will have better moments and may enjoy such dominance.

The Clásico Nacional has no expiration date. This rivalry involving the two most popular, media-covered, and beloved teams in our country will remain alive for the years to come. And beyond the result, both Chiva brothers and Americanistas will live this encounter each season as if it were the most important in history.

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