Pumas UNAM at Midpoint of Apertura 2026: The Only Giant Outside Liguilla and a Two-Point Equation

There was a moment I could not forget last weekend afternoon, sitting before a small screen in my apartment in Busan, holding a notebook with a worn spine, my eyes fixed on the Liga MX table updated after the eighth matchday. I had marked eighteen names in blue pencil, then crossed out each team one by one. When I reached Pumas UNAM, I paused for quite a while. Tenth place, eleven points from eight matches, sitting just outside the Liguilla boundary. Above them, in eighth place, was Atlas with thirteen points. The gap was only two points, a margin that in Mexican football can be erased in a single Saturday evening, but can also widen into a psychological abyss if the team fails to seize the opportunity.

What made me pause was not the number two. What made me pause was the label the Mexican media is attaching to this club: the only big team in Mexican football currently outside the playoff places after eight matchdays. Cruz Azul above. Monterrey above. Chivas above. América above. Tigres above. Only Pumas, the name tied to the National Autonomous University of Mexico, to a stadium of over sixty-five thousand seats at Ciudad Universitaria, to a tradition of the finest youth development in the country, is struggling to find its way back.

I have followed Liga MX since the late eighties, when I was a young reporter in Madrid writing for Báo Thể thao Thế giới, and video tapes of Mexican football reached me with a delay of several weeks. Since then, I have watched Pumas win titles, watched them decline, watched them return. But this time there is something different. I am not talking about player quality. I am talking about structure.

Pumas is not in crisis because it plays badly. Pumas is in crisis because its system depends on specific individuals to such an extent that when those individuals are absent, the entire tactical structure collapses.

That is what I want to dissect in this article. Not to criticize, but to understand. Because behind the table, behind the injury reports, behind the jeers from the stands, there is a story about how a club is built and how it is being tested.

Context: A league compressed at the boundary

To understand Pumas' position, one must understand that Liga MX operates in a completely different way from the European leagues I still follow. The Mexican league splits each year into two short tournaments: Apertura from July to December, and Clausura from January to May. Each tournament features eighteen teams playing seventeen rounds to select eight teams for the Liguilla, the knockout playoff that decides the champion. This means there is no long-term accumulation of points. No building over two or three seasons. Each tournament is a short-term gamble, and the pressure for results arrives three times faster than in a normal English Premier League or La Liga season.

In that system, sitting outside Liguilla after eight rounds is not an absolute disaster. Apertura 2026 is barely past the halfway point. Pumas still has nine matches ahead, including direct rivals who are equally unstable, including Atlas in the next round. But this is where Mexican football operates by emotional logic more than arithmetic. Because when you are one of the four giants, your position outside Liguilla is no longer a points problem. It is an identity problem.

I have read more than thirty Mexican media commentaries over the past two weeks. The way they headline shows this clearly. They do not write "Pumas needs to improve form." They write "Pumas is losing its giant status." They do not write "Pumas needs more points." They write "Pumas depends on names that are not present." This distinction matters, because it shapes how fans feel, and how fans feel shapes how players step onto the pitch.

That is why I always spend thirty minutes a day just reading fan comments before writing anything. There are lessons that do not come from victory, but from the jeers in the stands. After the three-goal loss to Chivas, the comment section of the Pumas fanpage was flooded with short lines, painful and very real. One wrote: "We do not need more stars, we need a team." Another: "Solari is trying to do the right thing with people who are not enough." I read those lines more times than I read the match report itself.

What is actually happening at Pedregal

Esteban Solari, Pumas' coach, is someone I have followed since his playing days. He is the son of José Solari, an Argentine football legend, and carries both European-style discipline and South American explosiveness. When he took the coaching seat at Pumas, the Mexican media placed high expectations on him. A young man, with new thinking, from a football family. But what few noticed is that he inherited a team wounded structurally in squad depth more than in player quality.

Solari's system at Pumas is built on the assumption that he has four to five creative players in midfield and two wingers capable of stretching the width of the pitch. When those names are present, his team operates with a clear rhythm: possession in the opposition half, drawing opponents to one side to open space on the opposite side, then delivering the ball to one of two attacking wingers. It is not a very complex system. It is a system that requires the right personnel in the right positions.

When Sebastián Córdova suffered a severe injury and will only return next tournament, Pumas lost its cornerstone in midfield. Córdova is not just a playmaker. He is the rhythm-setter. The one who knows when to accelerate, when to hold the ball, when to switch play with a square pass, when to break lines to create disruption. The rhythm of a match is not in the ball, but in the silence between two passes. Córdova is the man at Pumas who understands this, and when he is absent, the silence becomes chaotic.

But the story does not stop at Córdova. Álvaro Angulo and César Huerta, two names the coaching staff placed great expectations on, have also been absent for several rounds. Angulo brings solidity to the defense, while Huerta brings unpredictability to the attack. When both are absent, Solari is forced to turn to backup options. And that is when the problem appears.

I reviewed Pumas' last four matches, noting turnovers in midfield and set-piece defensive situations. What I noticed was not the technical weakness of individual players. It was the lack of cohesion between lines. Defender passes to midfielder, but the midfielder does not know where the forward is. Forward receives the ball, but no one runs around him to create a second option. In elite football, this cohesion typically takes months to build, and it is the most easily broken thing when the squad is shuffled.

The three-goal loss to Chivas is the clearest consequence of this shuffling. I do not have detailed xG data for that match, but the way it unfolded, according to what I gathered from fellow reporters in Mexico, suggests Pumas conceded three goals during a period when the defense could no longer hold its structure. Three goals conceded against an opponent of equal stature is not an accident. It is a sign of a defensive system that has lost its anchor.

What outside media misunderstands

Reading the analyses from Mexico, I noticed one explanation is dominant: Pumas is in crisis because the coach is not capable, because the squad lacks quality, because the players have lost motivation. I believe this is a lazy explanation that ignores the nature of the problem. Because if Pumas were genuinely weak in personnel, they would not be sitting tenth with only two points behind eighth.

The more accurate explanation is that Pumas is trapped in an operating model I call "structural dependency on specific personnel." This is a concept I have observed at many clubs, from Busan IPark to European teams. When a team operates based on a few key individuals, they can play very well when everyone is fit, and can collapse entirely when just one or two are absent. The problem is not the quality of the replacements. The problem is that the system was not designed to withstand change.

At Pumas, Solari's system depends on Córdova in midfield in a way I have rarely seen at a big club. When Córdova is present, he orchestrates, he sets the rhythm, he protects younger teammates. When he is absent, no one can assume that role. This is not Solari's fault. Nor is it Córdova's fault. It is a problem belonging to long-term squad-building strategy, and it is most exposed when a team enters a difficult period.

There is another factor I believe outside media rarely address. That is Pumas' unique ownership model. The club belongs to the National Autonomous University of Mexico, one of the largest universities in Latin America. This means the club does not operate on purely commercial logic like private clubs. There is no billionaire owner ready to inject money to buy players immediately when the team struggles. There is no emergency fund to bring in an expensive midfielder to replace Córdova in the mid-season transfer window.

Pumas' university model creates stability but also creates slowness. They cannot react quickly to injury crises by buying players. They must rely on the academy, on promoted youth, on internal options. This is consistent with a university's philosophy, but it is a disadvantage in a league designed for short-term competition like Liga MX.

I have written about this when discussing Korean football, where clubs owned by large corporations can inject money to patch holes. In Mexico, Pumas does not have that option. And with the team currently outside Liguilla, this slowness becomes a factor that aggravates the psychological pressure on the coaching staff and players.

The Atlas match and the decisive window

Next matchday, Pumas travels to Atlas' Estadio Jalisco. This is not an ordinary match. This is what Mexican media calls a "six-pointer," because its result can shape the entire Liguilla race for both teams.

Atlas sits eighth with thirteen points, and has gone three consecutive matches without a win. This is a team as unstable as Pumas. If Pumas wins, they will cut the gap to zero or one point, depending on other results, and enter the second half of the tournament with a completely different spirit. If Pumas loses, the gap will widen to five points, and with eight matches remaining, the comeback becomes extremely difficult psychologically.

I reviewed Atlas' recent matches. This is a team that tends to play tight at home, exploiting the fervent atmosphere of the Guadalajara stands to pressure opponents. Estadio Jalisco has long been one of the most difficult venues in Mexican football, not only for the pitch or weather conditions, but for the atmosphere of the stands. Atlas' fans, known as Rojinegros for their red-and-black shirts, are famous for their fervor and intolerance.

For Pumas, this will be a test of spirit more than tactics. A team in identity crisis can easily collapse before a hostile crowd. A team that has regained stability will know how to endure and wait for its chance. The question is which state Pumas is in.

Signals to track over the next three weeks

When following a club in difficulty, I always set myself a list of signals to observe. This helps me avoid being swept up in loud commentary while missing the truly important signs. For Pumas, there are five signals I will track closely over the next three weeks.

The first signal is the return status of Angulo and Huerta. If both appear in the matchday squad against Atlas, that is a positive sign. If only one, or neither, Solari's seat will begin to shake. Mexican media will question the players' recovery, and that will create a new wave of pressure.

The second signal is how Solari handles the lineup. If he chooses a defensively oriented approach, tightening the back line, waiting for chances from set pieces, that shows he is prioritizing results over developing the playing style. If he remains committed to his attacking philosophy, that shows he believes in the process. Both choices have merit, but they reveal different things about the team's condition.

The third signal is the atmosphere in the stands at Pumas' next home match. If fans still come in numbers, still sing, still cheer, the team still has a chance. If the stands begin to thin, if jeers toward the coaching staff appear, that is a worrying signal.

The fourth signal is Córdova's injury situation. He has been confirmed out for the rest of this tournament. Any news of him recovering faster or slower than expected matters for the club's long-term planning. But I also note that bringing Córdova back early under results pressure could be a serious mistake. I have seen young players brought back too soon and pay with their careers.

The fifth signal, and perhaps the most important, is how the team reacts after the Atlas match. Whatever the result, how players step into the next match will show whether they have overcome the psychological shock. Football is a sport of moments, but it is also a sport of extended mental states.

Some thoughts on building a sustainable team

I have followed football for nearly fifty years, and what I have learned over decades is that big clubs are not measured only by how many titles they win. They are measured by their ability to maintain stability across seasons, across generations of players, across waves of crisis. Teams that endure long-term are not those with the most money. They are those with the clearest system, and a system that does not depend on any single individual.

Pumas stands at a crossroads. As a university, they have the advantage of stability. They have a youth academy many Mexican clubs envy. They have enormous infrastructure. But they also have a challenge: how to convert that potential into consistent on-field results without over-relying on a few individuals.

I remember the time I organized a workshop for young reporters in Busan, after Busan IPark's turbulent 2026 season. I told them that when writing about a club in crisis, write about structure, not individuals. Do not just talk about the coach. Do not just talk about players. Talk about how the club is built, how it operates, how it makes decisions. That is the only way to understand the story honestly.

And I remember another lesson, more painful. In 2026, when I mispronounced the name of South Korean defender Kim Young-gwon three times during a World Cup match. Three mispronunciations of one defender's name taught me to listen before I write. I spent the following month reviewing all of South Korea's matches, recording my own voice, counting every mispronunciation. It was a lesson in discipline, and also a lesson in humility.

I tell this story to say that when analyzing Pumas, I do not want to fall into the trap of oversimplification. I do not want to say they are in crisis because their coach is bad. I do not want to say they are in crisis because their players are weak. I want to say they are in a complex situation, and that situation requires complex solutions.

On the Atlas match: A tactical view

If I had to put one coin on the upcoming match, I would put it on a draw. Not because I think the two teams are equal. But because both are in unstable conditions, and in matches between two unstable teams, the result usually tilts toward the side that makes fewer mistakes, not the side that plays better.

Atlas has home advantage. They can use the stands to pressure Pumas in the first half. But Atlas also has confidence issues after three winless matches. They may play cautiously, leaning toward safety, and that could create counterattacking chances for Pumas.

Pumas, if it has Angulo and Huerta, will have additional attacking options. Angulo can help the defense stand firmer, and Huerta can create moments of unpredictability. But both are returning from injury, and I do not expect them to play ninety minutes at the highest level immediately. Solari will have to handle their playing time carefully.

How Solari uses Angulo and Huerta will reveal more about Pumas' true condition than the match result. If he starts them and they play well, that shows the club has reason to be optimistic. If he leaves them on the bench and only brings them on in the second half, that shows he is still protecting them, and the team is not yet ready for a full return.

On Atlas' side, I will watch how they organize their defense. If they play with a low block, ceding the initiative to Pumas, they will be betting on counterattacks. If they press high, they will be betting that Pumas lacks the cohesion to escape the press. Both choices are reasonable, and both carry risk.

Notable aspects of the broader Liga MX context

When analyzing a club, I always try to place it in a broader context. Pumas does not operate in a vacuum. It operates in a league shaped by many factors.

Liga MX is one of the most competitive leagues in Latin America. Over the past decade, the number of clubs capable of winning has risen significantly. Where once only three or four teams were strong enough to win, at least eight teams can reach the Liguilla semifinals in any given tournament. This makes maintaining a position at the top harder than ever.

In such a league, Pumas sitting outside Liguilla after eight rounds is not statistically unusual. It only becomes unusual when placed against the club's reputation. And that is what I always try to separate in my analysis. Reputation is built in the past. A table position is built in the present. The two do not always travel together.

Another factor is the growth of mid-tier clubs. Atlas, León, Toluca, Necaxa, Juárez have all made significant progress in recent years. They have invested in infrastructure, in data analysis, in tactics. As a result, the gap between the giants and the mid-tier clubs has narrowed. This is a positive trend for Mexican football overall, but it also poses a challenge to clubs like Pumas, who lack the ability to spend above the rest.

On market value and transfer strategy

I do not have enough data to assess in detail Pumas' squad market value or the club's financial structure. But at a general observational level, I notice a noteworthy pattern: university-owned clubs like Pumas tend to sell young players at high prices rather than buy established ones. This is a financially sound strategy, but it can create professional gaps when key players depart.

I have always held a fairly clear view on the transfer market: the youth-price bubble is deflating. Spending one hundred million euros on a player who has not played fifty top-flight matches is a naked gamble. Pumas, with its prudent financial model, is unlikely to fall into that trap. But that also means it will struggle to compete financially with clubs backed by billionaire owners or large corporations.

With the mid-season transfer window approaching, I will watch whether Pumas makes any moves. If they sell an important young player, that could be a signal they are prioritizing financial balance over short-term results. If they buy an experienced player, that shows they are trying to salvage the season.

On Sebastián Córdova and his future

Córdova is one of those players I have followed since his days in Pumas' youth team. He is a midfielder with good reading of the game, knows how to create space for teammates, and has a fairly dangerous left foot on set pieces. The severe injury that will keep him out until the end of the Apertura is a major loss for both Pumas and the Mexico national team.

I have seen many young players suffer severe injuries at twenty-five, and how they return depends heavily on how they are managed during recovery. If Córdova is rushed back under results pressure, he could face re-injury risk. If he is allowed to recover fully, he could return stronger. For Pumas, ensuring Córdova's long-term health matters more than trying to get him back this season.

A big club is measured by how it treats injured players, not by how it uses healthy ones. If Pumas is patient enough to let Córdova fully recover, that will say much about the club's culture.

On Álvaro Angulo and César Huerta

Angulo and Huerta are the two names Solari places heavy expectations on. Both are young, both have potential, and both have been through injury spells this season. Their return is a positive sign for Pumas, but it also raises questions about how they will be reintegrated into the squad.

In elite football, bringing a player back from injury is not simply a matter of health. They need time to regain their touch, to understand their positions in the system again, to re-establish connections with teammates. This requires a detailed recovery plan, and patience from both coach and player.

The pressure placed on Angulo and Huerta upon their return can be a double-edged sword. If they play well, they will be celebrated as heroes who saved the team. If they play poorly, they will be criticized as the cause of instability. Both are unfair burdens on young players trying to come back.

On coach Esteban Solari

Solari is a coach I rate highly for his thinking. He has a modern view of football, and he has tried to bring new ideas to Pumas. But he also faces a huge challenge: how to maintain his philosophy while the team lacks personnel and endures results pressure.

In such situations, there are two paths. The first is to persist with the philosophy, accepting that results will come when the squad is full. The second is to adjust the philosophy, switching to a more pragmatic style for immediate results. Both have their price. The first requires patience from management and fans. The second may help the team through a difficult period, but can create long-term problems.

I do not know which path Solari will choose. But I know that his decisions over the next three weeks will shape not only this season but also his career at Pumas.

On the club's situation at a macro level

Pumas UNAM is one of the oldest clubs in Mexican football. Founded in 2026, the club has won seven national titles and participated many times in international tournaments. Their stadium, Estadio Olímpico Universitario, hosted matches of the 2026 Olympic Games and the 2026 and 2026 World Cups. This is a heritage few clubs can claim.

But that heritage can also be a burden. When a club has a great tradition, fans and media often set high standards. Those standards sometimes do not fit the current team's reality. And when the team fails to meet those standards, pressure rises disproportionately to the actual table position.

This is a trap many big clubs worldwide have fallen into. I have seen Manchester United go through it after Sir Alex Ferguson retired. I have seen AC Milan go through it for years. And I am seeing Pumas, at a smaller scale, face the same trap.

Some observations on player psychology

In my analysis, I always try to include the psychological factor. This is an aspect that pure data analysis often ignores, and I consider that a shortcoming. Football is not just a game of numbers. It is a game of people, with emotions, fears, hopes.

With Pumas, after the three-goal loss to Chivas, I believe there is a serious psychological issue to be addressed. Conceding three goals in a match against an equal opponent can leave scars in players' minds. They may begin to doubt their ability, doubt the system, doubt their teammates. And that doubt can spread through the dressing room, weakening the team's cohesion.

I have witnessed a team I covered losing spirit after a losing streak. Players still stepped on the pitch, still ran, still passed, but something was missing. That was belief. And when belief is lost, every tactic, however good, becomes meaningless.

With Pumas, I believe restoring belief is no less important than restoring player fitness. Solari and the coaching staff need to find ways to help players believe in themselves, in each other, in the system. This may require private conversations, group sessions, or even support from psychologists.

On the atmosphere in the stands and the role of fans

I once wrote that Busan taught me that fans' hearts are the most honest measure, even when it hurts the writer. This is true for Pumas in Mexico as it is for Busan IPark in Korea. Fans are not just spectators. They are part of the team. They are the ones buying tickets, buying shirts, transmitting energy to players on the pitch.

When a club is in crisis, the atmosphere in the stands becomes an important indicator of the club's true condition. If fans still come in numbers, still sing, still cheer, the team still has a chance. If the stands begin to thin, if boos appear, if protest banners appear, that is a very bad sign.

With Pumas, I will watch the atmosphere at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in the next home match. This is one of the largest stadiums in Mexican football, with a capacity of over sixty-five thousand. When the stands are full, they can create enormous psychic energy for the home team. When the stands are empty, they become a cold void, reminding players of fans' disappointment.

On the relationship between club and community

Pumas is a club with a special relationship to its community. As the team representing the National Autonomous University of Mexico, they have a fan base closely tied to the university. These fans are not just ordinary football supporters. They are students, alumni, faculty, staff, people who consider the club part of their school identity.

This relationship creates a solid foundation for the club. Even in difficult periods, fans can remain loyal because they are attached to the club not only for football but for deeper reasons. But this relationship also creates higher expectations. These fans do not just want the team to win. They want the team to embody the university's values: excellence in academics, discipline in athletics, dedication to community.

When the team fails to meet those expectations, disappointment can run deeper. It is not just disappointment about results. It is disappointment that an organization they regard as a symbol of excellence is struggling.

On lessons from Korean football

I have lived in Korea for many years and observed how K-League clubs face crisis. One thing I have noticed is that Korean clubs tend to collectivize responsibility. When a team is in crisis, the leadership meets collectively, players commit collectively, the coach takes responsibility collectively. This differs from many European or South American clubs, where responsibility often falls heavily on individuals, usually the coach.

I think Pumas could learn from this approach. Instead of focusing on blaming the coach or individual players, leadership can look at the whole picture: the development system, transfer strategy, squad structure, fan relations. These are systemic factors, and addressing them requires cooperation across departments.

But I also know that in football, time pressure is always present. Fans want results now. Media want stories now. Leadership wants revenue now. In this context, maintaining a long-term vision is extremely difficult.

On the likelihood of different scenarios

If I had to predict what might happen to Pumas in the second half of Apertura 2026, I would propose three scenarios.

The first, most optimistic: Pumas beats Atlas, Angulo and Huerta return and play well, the team collects seven to nine points from the next four matches, and reaches Liguilla. This is viable if factors converge correctly. But it also requires a positive run the team has not had this season.

The second, middle: Pumas draws Atlas, gains points but not enough to overtake eighth, and finishes the season in ninth or tenth. This is the highest-probability scenario based on current form.

The third, most pessimistic: Pumas loses to Atlas, loses spirit, and endures a losing run that drops them to the lower half of the table. This is a scenario I do not expect, but cannot entirely rule out.

What matters is that whatever scenario unfolds, Pumas needs a plan for the future. This season may be damaged, but next season is a new opportunity. And that opportunity will be better if the club learns lessons from this season.

On the role of the writer

Throughout my career, I have always believed that the writer's role is not to pass judgment, but to provide understanding. When I write about Pumas, I am not trying to say they are doing wrong or right. I am trying to say they are in a complex situation, and that situation can be understood in multiple ways.

This does not mean I have no point of view. I do. I believe Pumas needs to build a more sustainable system, less dependent on a few individuals. I believe they need to invest more in squad depth. I believe they need to prepare better for injury situations.

But my viewpoint should not be imposed on the truth. The truth is that Pumas is struggling. The truth is that they have a chance to overcome. The truth is that their future depends on many factors, some beyond their control.

I learned this over years in the trade, through the times I was wrong, through the times I was criticized, through the times I had to apologize. From the World Cup to the esports studio, I still hear one heartbeat: people make the match. And when I write about people, I try to write with respect and humility.

On the future of Mexican football and Pumas' place

Mexican football is at an interesting stage. With the co-hosting of the 2026 World Cup alongside the United States and Canada, attention on Mexican football will rise significantly in the coming years. This creates both opportunities and challenges for clubs.

The opportunity is that investment will rise, media interest will rise, and Mexican players will have more chances to showcase themselves on the international stage. The challenge is that pressure for results will also rise, and clubs that fail to meet expectations will be left behind.

For Pumas, this is a critical moment. If they can overcome this difficult period and build a competitive team, they can leverage that wave of attention to grow. If they continue to sink into crisis, they may lose their standing among the top clubs.

On what I will watch in the upcoming match

As I sit before the screen to watch Pumas face Atlas, I will pay attention to several specific things. I will watch how Pumas organizes its defense in the first fifteen minutes. If they hold their structure, if they do not allow Atlas to create clear chances, that is a positive sign. If they concede early, that is a sign the psychological issue remains unresolved.

I will watch how Pumas builds out from the back. If they pass short, trying to control, that is a sign of confidence. If they play long balls, that is a sign of low confidence, of players wanting to avoid responsibility.

I will watch players' body language. In difficult situations, body language often reveals more than words. If players still run, still contest, still support each other, the team still has a chance. If they give up, if they stand watching teammates lose the ball, that is a sign of disintegration.

And I will watch how Solari reacts. If he is calm, adjusts tactics sensibly, encourages players, that is a sign of a mature coach. If he loses composure, shouts constantly, changes the lineup chaotically, that is a sign of panic.

On lessons from watching giants in crisis

I have watched many giants of world football go through crisis periods. Manchester United after Sir Alex Ferguson. AC Milan during its decline. Barcelona during its financial crisis. Real Madrid during transition periods. Each club faces crisis differently, but there are common points.

The first common point is that crisis often begins with structural problems, not individual ones. Firing a coach can address a symptom but not the root cause.

The second common point is that crisis usually lasts longer than expected. People often think a big club can recover quickly, but reality is often the opposite. Rebuilding a team takes time, and that time is usually longer than fans want.

The third common point is that crisis often exposes problems that have existed for a long time. When the team is winning, those problems can be hidden. When the team is losing, they surface. Pumas may be going through this.

On the necessity of verifying information

In the context of the transfer window and injury rumors, I always remind myself of the importance of verifying information. I have made mistakes reporting on a player's injury without fully checking, and the consequence was that I created misunderstanding among fans.

With Pumas, I will only report on Angulo and Huerta's injury status when there is official information from the club or reliable sources. I will not speculate whether they can return based on social media rumors. Because in football, misinformation can cause serious consequences.

On the value of patience

Finally, I want to speak about patience. In a world where everything moves fast, in a league where each tournament lasts only a few months, and in a media environment where news updates by the minute, patience becomes a luxury. But I believe patience is necessary to build something sustainable.

Pumas is in a difficult period, but difficulty is not permanent. If the club can remain calm, if they can build a clear plan for the future, if they can maintain unity between leadership, coach, players and fans, they will have a chance to overcome.

A beat keeper need not beat the drum loudly, only at the right time, in the right place, and with enough love for the craft to stand long. For Pumas, keeping the beat in this period matters more than any specific victory. Because the right rhythm leads to the right result, while panic only leads to chaos.

I will continue to follow Pumas. I will continue to read fan comments. I will continue to note in my worn-spined notebook. And I will continue to write, with respect for the people trying to do the right thing in a high-pressure environment. Because ultimately, whatever the table says, their story is a story of effort, of persistence, and of belief that tomorrow can be better than today.

And if you ask me whether Pumas can reach Liguilla this season, I will answer that I do not know. But I know one thing: in football, as in life, what matters is not how many times you fall, but how many times you get up. Pumas has fallen. The question is how they will rise.