This Saturday, the high-flying Monterrey squad will host the struggling Toluca outfit in a pivotal Liga MX clash at the Estadio BBVA. Renato Paiva’s Toluca side will be looking to pull off an upset and climb the league table, but they face a daunting task against the third-placed Rayados.
Monterrey Aiming To Consolidate Top 3 Spot
Monterrey have been in impressive form of late, picking up 13 points from their last 6 matches to sit comfortably in 3rd place. Manager Martín Demichelis will be eager to build on their recent 2-1 victory over Puebla and cement their position in the upper echelons of the Liga MX standings.
The Rayados suffered a disappointing group-stage exit from the Leagues Cup earlier this month but bounced back with that win over Puebla. However, Club Tijuana held them to a frustrating 2-2 draw in their last outing, conceding a late equalizer in the 98th minute.
Toluca Is Seeking To Capitalize On Monterrey’s Vulnerabilities
In contrast, Toluca has endured an inconsistent start to the season, winning three of their five Liga MX matches so far. Last Saturday, they edged out Atletico San Luis 2-1 at the Estadio Nemesio Diez to return to winning ways after a narrow 2-1 defeat at the hands of MLS side Colorado Rapids in the Leagues Cup.
Despite their mixed results, Toluca remain one of only three unbeaten teams in the Liga MX this campaign. Manager Renato Paiva will be hoping his side can capitalize on any vulnerabilities in the Monterrey defense and pull off a shock victory to climb the table.
Head-To-Head And Key Statistics
In their 53 previous meetings, Monterrey held a slight advantage over Toluca, with 17 wins to 16. However, the Rayados have been dominant at home, remaining unbeaten in their last 8 matches against Paiva’s men, winning 6 and drawing 2.
Toluca have also struggled on the road of late, losing 2 of their last 9 Liga MX away fixtures, although they have managed 3 wins in that span. Meanwhile, Monterrey will be confident in securing all three points, given their impressive home record against the visiting side.
Prediction
Both Monterrey and Toluca have made solid starts to the new Liga MX campaign, but the Rayados‘ home dominance over their opponents gives them the edge. Our prediction is a 2-1 victory for Monterrey, who should have just enough to overcome the challenge of the resilient Diablos Rojos.
Monterrey is to win, Given that both teams have scored in Toluca’s past 6 games, we expect both teams to score over 2.5 goals. At the Estadio BBVA, Monterrey will be looking to solidify their place in the top 3, while Toluca will be eager to pull off an unexpected victory and ignite their season.
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