León turn to Ignacio Ambriz after Eduardo Berizzo steps down, while James Rodríguez's future remains uncertain

A familiar face returns

Ambriz returns to Liga MX after last managing Santos Laguna in the Apertura 2024, a campaign in which the Guerreros finished at the bottom of the standings with only 10 points. Despite having Rodriguez on their roster, Leon have scored just 10 goals and conceded 18.

Previous success with Leon

This marks a homecoming for Ambriz, who guided León to the 2020 Guardianes title during his first tenure between 2018 and 2021. Over three seasons with the Esmeraldas, he recorded 61 wins, 23 draws and 29 losses in 113 matches, with his teams scoring 204 goals while conceding 136.

Ambriz’s second debut on the León sideline is set for Saturday, Oct. 4, when La Fiera will host league leaders Toluca on Matchday 12 of the Apertura 2025.

Fighting for Play-In qualification

After 11 rounds of the current tournament, León occupy 11th place in the table with 12 points, the product of three wins, three draws and five defeats.

The coaching change came swiftly after Berizzo’s departure, as the club immediately began searching for a replacement before settling on Ambriz. The Mexican coach now has less than a week to prepare his team for the crucial home clash against the high-flying Diablos Rojos.

James on his way out?

Rodríguez’s contract with León expires this December, and so far, there are no signs that the Mexican club plans to offer the Colombian a renewal.