Former Barcelona full back Dani Alves’ appointment to UNAM Pumas has yet to have the expected effect, with the Mexican team going winless in nine games since his arrival.
On a personal level, it is Dani Alves’ worst skid in his career. He’s never gone this long without a win.
Pumas haven’t won a title since 2004, and their fans had hoped that Dani Alves would help them turn things around, but so far the dream has turned into a nightmare.
Los Universitarios have now lost five games with Alves as a starter, four in Liga MX and one in the Joan Gamper trophy against his previous team Barcelona.
In his defence, the 39-year-old has played well in some of those games, but it hasn’t been enough to carry the club to victory.
After playing for Barcelona, PSG, and Juventus, the Brazilian isn’t used to losing, thus his exploits in Mexico are novel to him.
Despite being in second-last place, the Pumas still have a chance to make the playoffs.
They are only three points behind Juarez, who holds the final playoff berth.
The terrible run of results has earned Dani Alves a lot of flak in the Mexican press, with some journalists believing that he no longer has what it takes to play at this level.
The coming weeks could be crucial for both the Pumas’ season and Alves’ career.
Club America on top
We are currently in the home stretch of the Liga MX Apertura 2022, and the final rankings are beginning to emerge.
At the top is the resurgent America, who are on a tear and only need two more consecutive victories to set a new club record. ‘Las Aguillas’ presently lead Rayados de Monterrey on goal differential, although having played one fewer game.
Cruz Azul, Atlas, and Pumas remain in the bottom six positions and have little time to improve their condition as they risk missing out on a place in the liguilla playoffs.
After six consecutive victories, América has gathered 25 points and, as things stand, the team from the capital would join Monterrey, Pachuca, and Santos Laguna in the playoff finals, despite their failure this weekend.
With their present rankings good enough to qualify for the ‘liguilla,’ all teams from fifth place Toluca with 22 points to 12th place Juarez would be guaranteed postseason football.
As things stand, all teams are still in the chase with all to play for, and even bottom side Queratao are not mathematically out of the running to advance to the post-season round of the competition but would require a significant improvement in form for the ‘Gallos Blancos’ to progress..
