Without making too much noise, Toluca has emerged as one of the strongest teams in the Clausura.
While plenty of eyes have been focused on Djaniny's brilliant goalscoring for Santos Laguna, Club America's undefeated run and Tigres' resurgence, Los Diablos Rojos have quietly coasted to third place after 11 matchdays. Despite the fact that Toluca's roster pales in comparison to powerhouses like Monterrey, Tigres or America, the Liga MX side has slowly found a way to make its way up the league table.
So here's the question: How have Los Diablos Rojos done it?
For starters, plenty of credit has to be given to Rubens Sambueza. The 34-year-old Argentine is the focal point in Toluca's attack and a key source of distribution going forward. When watching Los Diablos Rojos, it's easy to recognize the influence of the veteran who continues to be a headache and menace for any Liga MX defense.
Sambueza is the playmaker for Toluca and as one of the most fouled players in the league, the Argentine's aggressive and risk-taking presence is a welcome one for his squad. But he is only the facilitator here. Toluca should feel blessed to have an experienced name like the attack-minded midfielder in the roster, but when looking at the numbers, it's Fernando Uribe, Luis Quinones and Pablo Barrientos who have truly been the difference makers.
It has taken some time, but Uribe has begun to shine in the past few weeks. In his past four games, the 30-year-old Colombian has proven to be superb with four goals for the club. In that same timeframe, Quinones has also stepped up with two goals and an assist for his third-place team.
Keeping in mind that Uribe and Quinones are gaining confidence at a crucial point in the regular season, there's reason to believe that Toluca will continue to build upon this year's progress.
As for Barrientos, there's no way of overlooking his impact. Although a red card earned in February says otherwise, the 33-year-old Argentine tends to be a reliable figure as an additional playmaker going forward. Whether it be through one of his clever passes or shots, which have led to one goal and three assists, Barrientos has solidified his place in the XI as a second striker or central attacking midfielder.
This praise for Toluca could go on as we look toward more deep-lying midfielders and defenders such as Rodrigo Salinas, Antonio Rios and Osvaldo Gonzalez. In net, it's also worth noting that Mexican national team regular Alfredo Talavera returned to the pitch last month after recovering from a lengthy injury. With him back as the starting goalkeeper, Los Diablos Rojos have only allowed one goal since Feb. 18.
Things are looking good for Toluca in the second half of the Clausura, but it's also fair to point out that the roster has yet to wrestle with some of the toughest names in the league. Looking ahead to the last six games of the regular season, manager Hernan Cristante will be facing four squads that are sitting in the top seven positions of the league table: America, Tigres, Morelia and Club Tijuana.
While many fans could worry about potential setbacks in the path to the playoffs, others might see this as a perfect opportunity to finally showcase what Toluca is capable of.
Los Diablos Rojos have yet to dominate headlines in 2018. A convincing win over any of those four teams would do plenty to not only gain respect but also momentum ahead of a likely spot in the Liguilla.
On a massive stage this Saturday in Mexico City's daunting Estadio Azteca, will Toluca be able to turn heads with a memorable result against Club America? Be sure to keep an eye on the Liga MX side that is quickly picking up pace in the final stages of the Clausura.