Lifting the silver trophy does not guarantee that the champion players will be called up by top-flight teams
Atlante became the third champion of the Expansion League, after defeating Tampico Madero in the Apertura 2021 final. However, despite being a category for players to showcase themselves to top-flight teams, only five players from the previous two champions have been able to reach the Liga MX after winning the title.
Tampico Madero was the first champion of the Expansion League, a division that debuted in Mexican football for the Guard1anes Apertura 2020. However, at the moment there is no promotion opportunity, so the category is mostly aimed at U-24 players, who can showcase themselves to Liga MX teams.
In that winter transfer market, following the championship of Jaiba Brava, only four players from Tampico Madero managed to ascend to the First Division, but three of them went to Atlas, a team that is also owned by Grupo Orlegi.
Gaddi Aguirre, José Ávila, and Eleuterio Jiménez were the players who joined the Guadalajara-based team. However, only Aguirre remained with the club to become the champion of the Apertura 2021. Ávila went to Santos, and Jiménez to Celaya.
Diego de Buen was the only one who signed with a team that does not belong to the same company. The midfielder joined Puebla for the Guard1anes Clausura 2021, and he still remains with the team to this day.
Tepatitlán was the second team to become champion of the Expansion League. Los Alteños defeated Atlético Morelia in the grand final. Among the standout players were Pavel Pérez, Luis Márquez, and Andrés Sánchez. However, only the latter managed to reach the top division; while the others joined Tapatío, Chivas' affiliate team.
Sánchez, the championship-winning goalkeeper for Tepatitlán, was one of the reinforcements for Atlético de San Luis in the Apertura 2021, a tournament in which he not only played four matches but also made his debut in the top-flight.
"A LACK OF RESPECT"
Mario García, coach of Atlante, is disappointed and even upset because he thought that after his team's excellent performance, top-flight clubs would be very interested in his players.
"I expected that the teams would already be jumping at them, but I don't see it happening," he said.
"We also find it disrespectful that 'first division' teams see our players as less valuable. It's even a lack of respect that first division teams want our players for their affiliates."
García acknowledged that since winning the title, "our players have been somewhat 'manhandled'; they have been approached, but nothing concrete is said. They talk about taking them to an affiliate, and it's a lack of respect for Atlante, a club with 103 years of history."