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Tigres UANL vs CF Monterrey Predictions
A valuable quarterfinal spot hangs in the balance as the defending Liga MX champions look to regain momentum ahead of their clash with city-rivals CF Monterrey. Tigres UANL sailed through the group stage of the 2023 Leagues Cup with narrow wins over Portland Timbers and San Jose Earthquakes. The first knockout round encounter against Vancouver Whitecaps was nervy as it ended 1-1 in regulation time. However, the Mexican champions converted all their penalties to nab a 5-3 win.
CF Monterrey have been sailing on calm waters in the Leagues Cup till now. The club has nabbed convincing wins against MLS sides Real Salt Lake and Seattle Sounders. In the previous round, they had their work cut out against Portland Timbers but managed to clinch a narrow 1-0 win.
However, CF Monterrey’s voyage is set to meet turbulent tides as they come face-to-face with their nemesis in the Round of 16. The club has not lost a single game since Tigres UANL defeated them in the playoffs of the last Clausura season.
Predicting the outcome of a derby is always a tough call. Tigres UANL are the defending champions of Liga MX, but CF Monterrey have performed exceptionally well overall. However, Tigres UANL were on the brink of elimination in the last round but kept their cool in the penalty shootout. Based on the recent form and the confidence and hunger of both teams, it is safe to say that CF Monterrey have a better chance of winning the Clásico Regiomontano.
Previous Meetings
There is a lot of history between these two neighbors, who have clashed 130 times in the past. Tigres UANL have won eight Liga MX titles, while CF Monterrey have won it five times. The previous game between the two sides was a two-legged playoff semi-final in the Clausura season.
In the first leg, Tigres UANL held CF Monterrey to a 1-1 draw at the Estadio Universitario de Nuevo Leon. In the second leg at the Estadio BBVA, Francisco Cordova struck in the 79th minute to give Tigres UANL a priceless win as they advanced to the final and eventually won the title.
CF Monterrey’s last win over Tigres UANL came in the same season but during the league stage. Luis Romo scored in the 68th minute to give CF Monterrey a narrow 1-0 win and all three points. The game before that ended in a fiercely contested goalless draw. The head-to-head record is almost equally balanced between the two strong sides.
Tigres UANL Always Aiming for More Silverware
Tigres UANL are one of the most decorated clubs in the Mexican top division. The club has won eight Liga MX titles, but luck has not always been on their side, as they have also finished as runners-up on five occasions.
In addition to the domestic league titles, the club also won the CONCACAF Champions League once in 2020. Between 2013 and 2014, Tigres UANL bagged two Copa MX trophies. Now they are out on the prowl for a title they have not won before – the Leagues Cup.
The defending Liga MX champions are one of the top favorites to go all the way in the tournament, but they will need to rectify their form before the derby. If they play against CF Monterrey the way they played against Vancouver Whitecaps, Tigres UANL could go out.
Unbeaten Streak in Double Digits
Tigres UANL last lost a game in May earlier this year, and that loss came in the quarterfinals of the Clausura playoffs. They lost 3-1 to Toluca, but the loss was ultimately insignificant as Tigres UANL had won the first leg 4-1 and advanced to the next round despite that loss.
After that, the defending Liga MX champions have played 11 matches across all competitions, and they have lost none of them, Tigres UANL won seven of the 11 games and drew the other four. The club will be eager to extend this streak against their rivals.
Talisman Eager To End Goal Drought Against Rivals
In the last two meetings between Tigres UANL and CF Monterrey, Francisco Cordova is the only Tigres UANL player with his name on the score sheet. In the two games before that, the defending champions failed to score.
This is a concerning fact, especially for talismanic striker Andre-Pierre Gignac. The Frenchman’s last goal against CF Monterrey came five games ago in the 2021-22 Clausura season when Tigres UANL won 2-0. This is a drought the Gignac will be eager to end in the next game.
Consistency is Key for CF Monterrey
After the win against Portland Timbers in the previous round, CF Monterrey extended their unbeaten streak to six games. In addition, they also extended their winning streak to five games to build perfect momentum ahead of the crucial stages of the Leagues Cup.
In the last five matches, CF Monterrey have kept four clean sheets and have only conceded two goals in the 4-2 win against Seattle Sounders in the group stage. The attack looks sharp, and the defense is robust. But it will be interesting to see if the Mexican side can retain that form.
The last game CF Monterrey lost was the one against Tigres UANL, and they would hate to lose again. However, if they can keep playing the way they have been playing since the start of the competition, they have a good chance of beating their local rivals.
Relying Entirely on One Player Could Hurt CF Monterrey
So far, apart from the shutouts, CF Monterrey have scored eight goals in three games in the Leagues Cup. Averaging almost three goals per game is not a bad statistic, but the only concern is that they are relying on only one player for it.
Striker German Beterame has been a constant goal provider for CF Monterrey since July last year. In the latest Apertura season, the striker is already off the mark with a goal and an assist. In the Leagues Cup, he has scored five of CF Monterrey’s eight goals.
Anchorman’s Form Will Be Crucial in the Derby
After a couple of substitute appearances in the first two Leagues Cup matches, Luis Romo was given the nod to start against Portland Timbers in the first knockout round. The midfielder made the most of it by putting in an excellent performance in midfield.
The 28-year-old also assisted Maximiliano Meza’s goal, which turned out to be the only goal of the match. Romo’s influence in the midfield will be crucial as he and Omar Govea will be responsible for regulating the tempo of the game.
