Mexico's greatest hits? Hardly

Despite one of the worst league seasons in its storied history, Club América is heading to the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores. AP Luis Bueno's Mailbag Submit a comment or question for Luis. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND

After a brutal soccer-less holiday season, many appetites across the Southwestern United States are starved for the beautiful game.

When the New Year comes and goes, such cravings are fulfilled with InterLiga. After a two-week stretch, the eight-team tournament seems to have temporarily filled the void.

But the long-term ramifications of Mexico's play-in tournament to the Copa Libertadores are quite upsetting. With two spots in South America's storied club championship up for grabs in InterLiga, the tournament should sort out the teams that truly deserve to have a shot of playing in the Copa from those who don't.

Instead, eight teams play in doubleheaders across the country that draw well and usually produce good soccer. But now, with soccer appetites quite satisfied after a full season of gorging, InterLiga's fallout is evident.

This year, Club América won InterLiga, while Atlas finished second. Chivas de Guadalajara, meanwhile, had already qualified by virtue of winning the Apertura 2006 title, which is another puzzling way of selecting a club. After all, Chivas was only two seasons removed from its last league title when this year's edition started. As InterLiga champions, América qualified directly, while Atlas qualified for a play-in match.

In terms of the Libertadores, the clubs did well. Atlas won a difficult group while América survived another challenging group. Chivas, meanwhile, didn't reach the second round after dropping several key games.

But balancing two tournaments proved to be too much, as Atlas and América did poorly in league play. Atlas reached the repechaje round, but wasn't much of a factor once there. América, on the other hand, was the worst team in the league. The Mexico City club finished at the bottom of the table for the first time in its storied history, compiling a rancid 3-12-2 record.

Yet somehow, the clubs each progressed deep into the knockout rounds of the Libertadores. Atlas had played tremendous soccer until Wednesday's second leg against Boca Juniors, when the Argentine giants slapped the Mexicans around for a decisive 3-0 win to take the series on a 5-2 aggregate. América, meanwhile, upset Santos and advanced to the semifinals on Thursday after dispatching of the Brazilians by a 2-1 aggregate.

Perhaps the task of balancing two tournaments is too much to ask of most Mexican clubs. After all, Chivas had a splendid regular season, finishing first atop the regular season table, but didn't reach the knockout rounds.

The most plausible explanation, though, is that Mexico doesn't send its best clubs to South America's prestigious party. While clubs like Chivas and América have tradition and history to spare, they aren't always in top shape, nor are they deserving of participating in the Copa Libertadores.

América, after all, had a mediocre end to '07, finishing sixth overall in the league table in the Apertura. During the Clausura '07, though, the club was in fine shape, as las Águilas reached the finals. Atlas, though, was terrible at the close of last year, as the Guadalajara club finished at the bottom of the table. As a result, an average club and a poor club were exposed as their focus on the Libertadores took its toll on league performance.

It's difficult to argue for Mexico's champions to be included, though. After all, the league is part of CONCACAF and tied to that region's tournament. And as unappealing as it seems, it's where the champions are bound to go. But if Mexico can't send its champions to the Libertadores, what about sending the teams with the best records from the previous year? Santos Laguna and Toluca finished 1-2 in the Apertura '07 regular season, but neither won the championship.

Santos is in prime form right now. The club went from nowhere to the top of the table in no time flat last season before falling in the playoffs. This season, the Torreón-based club proved it was no fluke and finished in second in the overall table. Its best moment is seemingly now, but a possible Libertadores participation won't present itself until '09 at the earliest -- and that's only if Santos fails to win league glory.

Pachuca's absence from the Libertadores during its recent run of glory was upsetting. Los Tuzos have collected six cups from the Clausura '06 title to the '08 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, but have played exactly zero Copa matches since. Their title as best club in the Western Hemisphere during that span is only a mythical one as they never had the opportunity to play in the region's top club tournament.

Still, InterLiga supporters will likely point to the success of both Atlas and América in the Libertadores as proof that the annual January tournament does indeed send capable clubs to South America, as both did damage in this year's Copa. América, in fact, may even win the whole thing.

But that doesn't change the facts. If Mexico can't send its best teams to Latin America's most prestigious club tournament, the whole method of selecting its Libertadores representatives should be in question.