- The game takes place at the Estadio BBVA on Sunday evening where Monterrey must win to keep their playoff hopes alive, while Pachuca can secure top four position with a win.
- Monterrey’s recent competitive form has been poor (W0, D3, L2) and they have conceded at least twice in four of their last six fixtures.
- Pachuca are unbeaten in their last five (W3, D2) and arrive on the back of a 4-2 win over Santos where a hat trick from Guzmán made the difference.
Pachuca to pressure Los Rayados at BBVA
CF Rayados de Monterrey welcome Pachuca CF to the Estadio BBVA in a pivotal fixture in the second half of the Clausura 2026 season on Sunday. The hosts are languishing in 13th place with 15 points, but they’re still mathematically in with a chance of making the playoffs, while Pachuca are third in the table with 28 points after 14 rounds and are a near cert for the Liguilla.
Nicolás Sánchez’s job at the helm of Monterrey is looking less secure by the day as the club continue to drop down the table and he faces an uphill battle to turn things around after taking charge in March 2026. He has tried to blend creativity with solidity this campaign, but neither facet of the team has gelled due to injuries and inconsistent performances.
Jesús ‘Tecatito’ Corona and Sergio Canales are the two creative players who should be unlocking defences on their day, but the latter is often the focal point and Monterrey are always looking for Lucas Ocampos to score or create something as he is still the most reliable player in the team.
Pachuca travel to the Gigante de Acero in a mood after their 4-2 win over Santos last weekend when Víctor Alfonso Guzmán bagged a hat-trick. The Tuzos play an intense, high-pressing game with plenty of energy and fluidity in the front three and their high tempo style is perfect for the evening clash on Sunday.
Goals at both ends are likely
Esteban Solari has worked his magic on Pachuca once again after taking over at the end of last season and now has the club in the top four.
He has adapted his previous setup to suit Pachuca’s front-line and his team press the ball at an incredible pace, recover it high up the pitch and then transition quickly into vertical play. Guzmán has been his primary playmaker and top scorer recently, but he’s now joined by Robert Kenedy and Salomón Rondón in the scoring charts.
We think Pachuca will come out on top in this clash, but we’re not certain it will be without a fight. The hosts will look to take the sting out of the game by keeping the ball in their own half and playing through the thirds, but Pachuca are relentless on the press. Therefore, we’re backing both teams to score at the short odds of 1.53.
Pachuca have scored at least two goals in four of their last six games and have a chance to do so again in this fixture, but the odds reflect their great form and we’re going with the visitors to win 2-1 or 1-0. A draw isn’t impossible, however, if Sánchez gets his team to defend well.
