Pumas: A Cyclic Journey of Highs and Lows

It seems that the life of Pumas is cyclical, at least that's what their numbers indicate and Memo Vázquez has always been behind them.

After defeating Xolos at the Caliente Stadium, UNAM is undisputedly leading the Apertura 2015 with only two games left before the playoffs. They are the favorites to be the protagonists of the tournament.

Pumas is experiencing a moment that resembles their glory days. In the Clausura 2011, they won their last title by defeating Morelia 3-2. They are now a carbon copy of their former selves.

In Round 15 of the Clausura 2011, Pumas, under the guidance of Guillermo Vázquez, was enjoying a true "honeymoon" period after finishing at the bottom of the league in the A2009 season, just above Indios. They had difficult passages through the playoffs in 2010.

In that tournament, the auriazules had a similar performance to what they have now. By Round 15, they were at the top of the table with 9 wins, 1 loss, and 5 draws. They had scored 26 goals and conceded 11. They were shining brightly in first place with 32 points.

Being one of the best, they ended up tied on points with Tigres in Round 17, but they ranked second due to goal difference.

The curse of the leader struck, and the other felines, the ones from the north, were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Chivas. Pumas faced Chivas in the semi-finals and after defeating them, they hosted Morelia to win their seventh title.

One more tournament and the board decided to part ways with Memo Vazquez. The cycle reached its lowest point.

The worst tournament Pumas has experienced in the last 5 years was the Apertura 2013. By Round 15, the Universitarios were in 16th place and had only tasted victory once. With the leadership of Antonio Torres Servín and José Luis Trejo, Pumas finished bottom of the table with 8 defeats and 7 draws.

Guillermo Vázquez came to the team's rescue after Jose Luis Trejo suffered 4 defeats in the first 5 rounds of the Apertura 2014. With a series of adjustments in the Clausura 2015, Pumas now has the stage set to repeat the feat of the Clausura 2011 and add more trophies to their auriazul collection.