Highlights of Chivas' preseason | OneFootball

After concluding their preseason in a more than fruitful manner with a rout against Leones Negros, Guadalajara is now focused on their first official match of the semester, as they will visit León this Saturday in the second match of the 2025 Apertura of Liga MX. Before diving into that match, it's worth reviewing everything that happened during Gabriel Milito's first weeks at the helm of the team.

The statistical recordChivas began its preparations with 10 days of intense physical training on Isla Navidad, which concluded with a first match against Tapatío in Colima. This match served to loosen up the team's legs and begin its run under the Argentine coach.

Subsequently, the Rebaño Sagrado faced Atlante and León in the Copa Morelos, and then took on Santos and Mineros in the Copa por el Bienestar; it concluded with a couple more friendlies against Necaxa and Leones Negros. It is important to remember that it won each and every one of these last games, leaving the following numbers:- 7 games played- 20 goals scored- 7 goals conceded

Chivas kept a clean sheet in 3 of their 7 preseason games, showing that defensive aspects are very important to Gabriel Milito. But not only that, Guadalajara managed to combine that solidity with a strong attack and the creation of dangerous opportunities, scoring 2 or more goals in every game they played.

New roles on the fieldAnother thing that stood out for the Rebaño during this stage was the performance of several members of the squad, particularly those who took on new roles on the pitch. A clear example is Daniel Aguirre, who has been playing as a center back in a back three, but with very interesting tasks, participating in the build-up play and joining the attack on numerous occasions.

Cade Cowell is another player who has had a fairly important role, but playing as a second striker who attacks spaces behind the opposing defensive line. Luis Romo returned to central defense and became the team's sweeper, showing leadership with and without the ball. Omar Govea also played an important role in these games, acting as the team's central midfielder and freeing up 'Guti' to gain some ground in the Rojiblanco attack.

Opportunities for young players Since the start of the preseason, Milito has called up several players from the Rojiblanco youth academy: Sebastián Liceaga, David Nungaray, Gael García Ortega, Samir Inda, and Santiago Sandoval.

García, Inda, and Sandoval played for the Rebaño in some of the preseason matches, occupying different areas of the field and fulfilling the roles assigned to them by the coaching staff. In fact, Santiago Sandoval came on as a substitute in the match against Leones Negros, replacing Richard Ledezma.

Understanding the footballing philosophy Beyond the results, Guadalajara has shown a clear idea of what it will be looking for in the 2025 Apertura. The Rebaño Sagrado always wants the ball and does so with very defined intentions, such as generating an advantage from the first passes or with aggressive runs by the center backs, which cause imbalances in the opposing structures.

The entire squad quickly absorbed what the Argentine strategist wants, from the areas they occupy, the way they generate short combinations, and how they take advantage of the runs of players far from the play. Guadalajara has shown in its games that it can attack in an organized manner, making it much easier to press and unsettle its opponent