América will close the final round of the Clausura 2025 against Atlas with the two clubs separated by just two points and a playoff race that still has room for error. América enters sixth with 25 points, while Atlas has 23, and the result could shape more than just the standings.
The bigger issue for América is the state of its squad. Luis Malagón suffered a rupture of the Achilles tendon and is expected back in about nine months. Víctor Dávila sustained a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Henry Martín suffered a tendon detachment accompanied by a total rupture, with no exact return date. Dagoberto Espinoza, meanwhile, has recovered from an ACL rupture, has trained with the group for one month and could be back in about three weeks, which would put him in range for the Liguilla.
That matters because América has won two straight matches against Toluca and León, but the team is still being chased by Atlas, Tigres, Tijuana and León for a place in the Liguilla. The points cushion is thin enough that every decision in this final stretch carries weight, especially with so many injuries concentrated in key areas of the roster.
There is also a larger test behind the weekend matchup. A title in Liga MX would support André Jardine’s project after América failed to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and the club’s response now depends on how much it can recover before the postseason begins. Espinoza’s possible return offers one of the few immediate boosts, but the absences around him leave América facing Atlas with the kind of fragility that can decide a season.
For América, the final round is not just about finishing sixth or climbing higher. It is about whether a battered squad can stay intact long enough to enter the Liguilla with any momentum at all.
