Toluca Face Semifinals Without Star Forward Alexis Vega Due to Injury

Toluca will enter the Apertura 2025 semifinals missing their most decisive player. Alexis Vega has not recovered from the muscle injury that ruled him out of the quarterfinals, and he won’t be available for the crucial matchup against Monterrey — a major setback for Antonio Mohamed’s side.

Vega had been expected to return in time for the final four, but the recovery process stalled. The medical staff determined he isn’t physically ready for match-level intensity. The Mexican international remains sidelined and will only have a chance to participate if Toluca reach the final.

The concern goes beyond his absence: Toluca have now gone 120 minutes without scoring in the Liguilla, and Juárez successfully shut down the reigning champs for most of the previous round. Without Vega’s dynamism, creativity, and explosiveness, Toluca must reinvent their attack to survive against a Monterrey team that punishes every mistake.

Mohamed trusts the collective, but he understands that Vega’s absence forces a tactical shift. The team will have to rely on secondary scoring options and midfield arrivals to compensate for the missing star. Should Toluca advance to the final, Vega could make a limited-minutes comeback — but first, they must overcome the semifinals without the man who typically changes games on his own.