The Liga MX Apertura kicks off this weekend with a full slate of games in Mexico. The Clausura season finished in late May with Atlas claiming a third Liga MX title. Now, the Apertura season begins and it is a race to the playoffs. Can Atlas win back-to-back championships?
Games between Club Necaxa and Toluca have been split down the middle in recent seasons. The last six games ended in two wins, two draws, and two losses for each team.
Toluca are unbeaten in three straight games versus Club Necaxa. The last time these teams met in Necaxa, Toluca claimed a 1-0 win. Toluca finished the Clausura tournament in 15th place with just 19 points from 17 matches.
Club Necaxa ended the tournament in ninth position with 23 points from 17 matches. Necaxa scored 21 times while conceding 21 goals.
Club America host the Clausura playoff champions on Sunday to start the Apertura tournament. The away team won the last two encounters between these teams.
Atlas have a 3W-0D-3L record against America in the teams’ last six meetings. The visitors finished third in the Clausura tournament; one point better off than Club America.
Club America will be confident of a win playing at home. The giants of Mexican soccer ended the Clausura with a 7W-5D-5L record and +7-goal difference. American have not won a league title since the 2018 Apertura. For such a large club, going that time without a championship is not good.
Pumas host Club Tijuana on Sunday, hoping to add to the visitor’s woes. Liga MX suspended relegation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, instead of being relegated, teams are fined financially. Tijuana ended last season in the bottom three, meaning they must pay up.
The outgoing money means Tijuana could struggle this season to bring in top quality players. Tijuana picked up just 17 points from 17 games in the Clausura, finishing 17th. One of Tijuana’s four wins during the Clausura came against Pumas, 1-0.
Pumas ended the Clausura in 11th with 22 points from 17 matches. UNAM made the playoffs, but were eliminated in the first round. The home team is un beaten in six straight games between these clubs.