Clubs finishing the season atop the standings, like Sergio Santana's Chivas side this year, have struggled in the playoffs this decade. Alfredo Estrella/AFP/Getty Images

Seventeen weeks of Mexican soccer have banished one team to the second division and eliminated seven others from contention from the Clausura 2008 postseason.

Entering the weekend, 10 clubs still have glory within reach. But that number will be reduced to eight entering the Liguilla, which gets underway Wednesday.

Here's a look at how the teams look ahead of the Liguilla.

Superlider's Plight

Since the turn of the century when Toluca dominated the league, the overall points leader -- or superlider -- has struggled to win the championship. Since Toluca's Verano 2000 championship, only Pachuca in the Clausura '06 and '07 seasons has won a league title after finishing the regular season with the most points.

Chivas finished first overall during the regular season. What's not to like? Chivas had the best goal differential (plus-18), allowed the second-fewest goals (14) and had two of the top seven leading goal scorers in Sergio Santana and Omar Bravo (nine goals apiece).

Still whether it's the pressure of carrying over a strong regular-season form into the postseason or having other less-successful teams with nothing to lose knock out the top club, the superlider's struggles are well-documented. For Chivas to buck the trend will require a masterful effort.

Paper Tiger

After Chivas and Club América, perhaps no other club is as popular as Cruz Azul. But that love is likely a deep-rooted passion, as few could call Cruz Azul supporters frontrunners. La Maquina has exactly zero league titles since 1998. With two seasons per calendar year, that's a streak of 18 title-less seasons.

Cruz Azul hasn't been exactly terrible during that stretch either. La Maquina finished three times atop the regular-season table but fell apart before claiming a title. This season, Cruz Azul pieced together a strong campaign and was nearly spotless at home, having gone 5-0-3 in Estadio Azul.

While Chivas has other clubs' historical failures to deal with, Cruz Azul has its own sad history to overcome. Perhaps this will be the year Cruz Azul rights its wrongs, but that's what their supporters have said most of the last 18 seasons.

Dark Horse

Perhaps no other club came on as strong as Monterrey. As late as Week 10, Monterrey was struggling and dropped three consecutive matches. But Monterrey ripped off a six-game stretch in which La Pandilla scored 16 goals before ending the season with a 1-0 loss to América.

Ricardo Lavolpe may have been despised by many during his tenure atop El Tri but the fiery Argentine can coach. Monterrey's offense is firing on all cylinders as forward Humberto "Chupete" Suazo led the league with 13 goals. Jared Borgetti is also showing good form, having scored all four of his goals in the last half of the season.

Monterrey has the tools to make a deep run in the playoffs. Whether Lavolpe's side can maintain its high-scoring form will determine if the club can win its third league title and first in five years.

Insufficient Funds

Toluca, Jaguares and San Luis had strong campaigns but each has issues to overcome. Toluca never did find the ace to replace Vicente Sánchez, who left for Schalke 04 before the start of the season. The forward corps of Santiago Fernández, Manuel Maciel and Christian Giménez produced just seven goals this season.

Jaguares has the firepower with Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista but the defense leaves a lot to be desired. The club had six shutouts this year but also allowed two or more goals in six other games this season. Defensive shortcomings are not ideal components of a championship-caliber squad.

San Luis, meanwhile, has to deal with the repechaje round and Pachuca as well. Carrying a 1-0 lead into the second and decisive leg is not the worst thing but playing two games in the span of four days while others had the opportunity to rest would put the club in a bad spot entering the quarterfinals.

Title-bound

Santos Laguna has the makings of a champion. Last season, Santos suffered the superlider's fate after piecing together a strong regular-season campaign. Santos crashed out in the playoffs, perhaps a victim of too much too soon.

Having battled and overcome relegation in the Clausura '07 season, Santos had the most points of any club in the Apertura '07 only to lose to Pumas in the semifinals.

Offense is not a problem as Matias Vuoso and Christian Benítez combined for 18 goals and midfielder Daniel Ludueña is around to provide steady service and dangerous set pieces. Goalkeeper Oswaldo Sánchez and midfielder Juan Pablo Rodríguez offer plenty of experience as well.

Also, the sting of last season's playoff failure is still likely fresh in players' minds and the club would likely do anything to avoid another premature playoff exit.