The AP26 regular season is nearing its conclusion, making this the perfect time to take a closer look at how Chivas’ defensive line has performed throughout the tournament.
With one match remaining in the Apertura 2026 regular season, Guadalajara boasts the best defense in Liga MX. After 16 matches, Gabriel Milito’s team has conceded just 15 goals, averaging 0.93 goals against per game — less than one per match.
Chivas’ defensive strength becomes even more impressive when compared to the rest of the competition: none of the other 17 teams has conceded fewer than 20 goals. This means the Rebaño holds a five-goal advantage over its closest competitors in this category. In addition, Guadalajara has kept six clean sheets throughout the tournament.
These numbers take on even greater significance when considering Gabriel Milito’s footballing philosophy, as Guadalajara is a team that embraces risks and commits many of its players to the attack. A clear example came in the goal against León in Matchweek 16, when Luis Romo, playing as the left center back, started the move with a long ball into the box, while Daniel Aguirre, the right center back, made his way all the way to the byline. The play reflected the freedom of movement and attacking involvement that defenders enjoy within Chivas’ system.
However, this attacking approach has not compromised the team’s balance. On the contrary, Chivas has successfully brought its defensive mechanisms together to cover the spaces that can open up when pushing forward.
Several individual performances have also been key to this success. Raúl Rangel is enjoying an outstanding spell, delivering high-level performances, making seemingly impossible saves, and playing an important role in building attacks from the back. In front of him, Diego Campillo has been outstanding both as a stopper and in a libero role. Luis Romo returned from injury in excellent form, making valuable contributions both on and off the ball, while Daniel Aguirre continues to grow in importance within the team’s playing model, developing more and more tools to handle defensive situations.
With these players as the main figures in the back line, alongside the collective efforts of the entire team, Guadalajara has achieved something fundamental to Milito’s ambitions: attacking with freedom, embracing risks, and maintaining a highly reliable defensive structure.
Now, the Rebaño faces one final test in Matchweek 17, when it hosts Cruz Azul, aiming to close out the regular season and confirm its status as the strongest defense in the Apertura 2026.
