History
Club Atlético Morelia was founded November 21, 1924, as "Oro Morelia" in Morelia, Michoacán. In 1950, Club Deportivo Morelia was among the teams that founded the Segunda División. After the 1956–1957 season, in which they ended up in second place, they were officially promoted into the Primera División to replace Puebla. After an unsuccessful season, in 1968 Monarcas Morelia was relegated back to the Segunda División. During mixed 1968–1971 seasons, C.A. Morelia appointed Nicandro Ortiz as chairman. Ortiz acquired the team and strengthened its position in the league.
The 1978–1979 season thrust Morelia into contention for promotion; in 1980, Monarcas Morelia played under manager Diego Malta who helped his team towards the Mexican Championship and finally promotion to the Primera División in 1981.
In 1996 the major broadcast company TV Azteca bought the team. By the year 2000 the club were playing under the Monarcas moniker. In recent years Monarcas Morelia has been one of the main protagonists in the Primera División.
Although the team had played Mexican professional soccer for 70 years, it had never won a first division tournament until winter 2000, when the club raised the cup after beating Toluca on penalties. The team was crowned champions in the Bombonera Stadium and not at home. The Morelos Stadium has never seen its team actually winning a final. On the day after the victory, a crowd that some estimate to have consisted of 100 thousand people welcomed the team as it paraded along Morelia's main avenue, Avenida Madero. Later they arrived at the stadium where the crowd congregated as the team raised the cup and the fans congratulated the team for its first ever first division trophy.
Monarcas Morelia has played three other finals (Clausura 2002, Apertura 2003 and Clausura 2011) which they lost to Toluca, Monterrey and Pumas respectively.
Rollie Magunas was hired as their new manager in February 2009, replacing Luis Fernando Tena.
After missing the playoffs for three straight tournaments, Morelia ended up in third place in the general table in the Apertura 2009. Morelia defeated Santos Laguna in the first round, 4–2 on aggregate. Morelia was defeated by Cruz Azul in a semi-final that was filled with controversy because Cruz Azul player Joel Huiqui intentionally used his hand to hit the ball away and prevent Morelia midfielder Wilson Tíago from scoring. (Ironically, Huiqui now plays for Morelia.) With a 2–1 aggregate score, Morelia was eliminated. Morelia qualified for the 2010 Copa Libertadores by ending in third place in the classification phase. It was the second time that Morelia participated in the Copa Libertadores, the first being in 2002. Morelia was the Runner-up of the Clausura 2011, after a hard fought final. Pumas won this 3–2 on aggregate, taking the trophy home.
Morelia is the 2010 SuperLiga champion, with a 2-1 victory in the finals over the New England Revolution in which Miguel Sabah scored both Morelia's goals.
Read more about this topic: Monarcas Morelia
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