Liga MX Preview: Mexico City Derby Headliner

The latest round of Liga MX fixtures is upon us this weekend. All eyes will be on the capital when Cruz Azul and Club América replay the 2024 Liga MX Clausura final whilst 2nd placed Monterrey hosts 3rd place Toluca, both eying the chance to climb to the summit of Mexican football.

Friday 30th August 2024

Atlético de San Luís vs Atlas
Mazatlán vs Puebla
Tijuana vs León

San Luís and Atlas get us underway for the weekend as the home side aim to bounce back from a narrow 2-1 loss to Toluca last weekend. As for Atlas, who got an impressive 2-1 win against Pumas, they will be hoping to keep their unbeaten run going this weekend to join the likes of Monterrey and Cruz Azul at the top of the table.

Mazatlán secured their first win of the season last weekend by winning 3-0 against Pachuca. They will host a Puebla side that recorded a historic win against Club América last weekend. Whilst both teams enter this fixture with an upturn in form, Puebla has won this fixture three out of the last four times, but Mazatlán has managed to hit the back of the net on all four of those meetings.

Tijuana remain the surprise package this season, losing just once from their opening six games. Los Xolos surprised many last weekend with a 2-2 tie with Monterrey. Their three wins this season is already more than what they managed in the Clausura (2) as they remain on course for a playoff spot. They welcome a León side that is still in search of a first win of the season, having drawn four of their opening five games. Opening day defeat to Pumas was their only loss of the season, but Jorge Bava's side has struggled to get the better of opponents in their opening games to start the season.

Saturday 31st August 2024

Pachuca vs Querétaro
Chivas vs FC Juárez
Monterrey vs Toluca
Cruz Azul vs Club América

Pachuca will be without Salómon Rondón and Gustavo Cabral, the pair who recieved straight red cards during the 3-0 defeat to Mazatlán last weekend. Just one win in five, Los Tuzos have struggled to find their form after winning the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup earlier in the summer. This weekend provides the perfect opportunity for them to kickstart their season by playing a Querétaro side which has lost all of its opening six games.

Chivas welcomes FC Juárez to the Estadio Akron on Saturday in search of climbing the league table. Currently say in 9th, they have had a slow start to the season with two wins from five games. Their 1-1 draw with Tigres last weekend gives hope that they will improve, and they host a Juárez side that sits 17th having lost four of the first five games of the season. Last week, they suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Necaxa.

Monterrey and Toluca are two of the strongest teams to start the season. Los Rayados sit two points further ahead but have played a game extra. Los Diablos Rojos remain unbeaten this season (three wins, two draws) and have one of the strongest defence in the league, only leaking four goals across the five matches played.

Attention later turns to the Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes as Cruz Azul and Club América go head-to-head. Whilst the Azteca is under renovation, both clubs are using the Cruz Azul stadium for their home fixtures this season, which stops Los Azules from having the true home advantage for this game. The league leaders suffered Clausura heartbreak at the hands of Las Águilas in May, but recent form holds them as strong favourites for revenge this weekend. Defeat to Puebla last weekend raises eyebrows as André Jardine and his side lacked creativity and desire to control a game in which many expected them to comfortably win.

Sunday 1st September 2024

Pumas vs Tigres
Santos Laguna vs Necaxa

Opening the September fixtures are two of rrhe standout sides this season, Pumas and Tigres. The Mexico City side suffered its first defeat of the season last weekend in a tight encounter with Atlas. As for Tigres, who sit one point above their weekend hosts, they remain unbeaten this season, managing to avoid defeat at the Estadio Akron last week against Chivas. Only leaking two goals all season, César Huerta and co. will have a serious test to break down the Tigres backline.

The final game of the weekend is at the Estadio Corona with Santos Laguna and Necaxa going head-to-head. Both sides have had disappointing starts to the season, with the hosts only managing to record two points from their opening six matches. As for Necaxa, who secured a second win of the season last week against Juárez, they will be hoping to build on an impressive win to fight for a playoff spot. Currently sat in 10th place, they are in with a chance for a Preliminary playoff spot but will hope to climb the table to qualify for the playoffs outright.

Who are you expecting to do well this weekend? Let us know.