Club America highlights 2010 InterLiga quartet

With the conclusion of the Mexican Apertura 2009 season, the field for InterLiga was also set.

While top clubs such as Toluca, Chivas and Cruz Azul were ineligible to participate because of committments to other tournaments, InterLiga 2010 will feature some starpower nonetheless with Club America.

Joining America in the tournament are fellow Liguilla clubs Monterrey and Santos. America and Monterrey, in fact, will meet in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. Puebla has also qualified for InterLiga.

The rest of the Liguilla field, though, was ineligible. Toluca and Cruz Azul are in the CONCACAF Champions League while San Luis will participate in the Copa Libertadores.

Also joining the quartet of playoff-bound clubs will be Atlante -- which will be fresh off its participation in the FIFA Club World Cup -- as well as Tigres, Estudiantes and Jaguares.

Morelia would have reached InterLiga but the club reached the Libertadores directly for having finished third in the overall table. Toluca and Cruz Azul finished with more points and would have received automatic berths but each was not eligible to participate in the Libertadores.

The draw for InterLiga as well as the full calendar of games will be announced at a later date.

InterLiga will begin on Jan. 2. Two spots in the Copa Libertadores are up for grabs in the tournament. The winners will make up Mexico 2 and Mexico 3 slots in the 2010 Libertadores draw. --Goal.com