- Chivas, coached by Gabriel Milito, are more potent going forward than the other teams in the Liga MX 2025-26 Clausura.
- Puebla, managed by Albert Espigares, are more compact but have struggled defensively.
- Chivas are strong favorites at 7/25, while Puebla are 44/5 and draw is 43/10.
Chivas have a creative edge over Puebla
Chivas de Guadalajara are favourites to beat Puebla in Sunday’s Liga MX clash between a pair of teams with contrasting philosophies. The Guadalajara club are playing proactive, high-tempo football under coach Gabriel Milito, who demands his players maintain possession and press aggressively in order to create superior numbers in transition.
El Pelado has preached consistency all season long as his side aim for the Clausura 2026 title, but results have been mixed. Chivas lost 4-1 to Tigres in their last match, but had drawn 2-2 at home to Pumas before that and thrashed Monterrey (3-2) and León (5-0) prior to that. They sit atop the Clausura table with around 31 points, enough to put them ahead in the title race with only a few weeks to go until the end of the regular season.
Puebla, meanwhile, are languishing in mid-table, between 14th and 16th place with around a dozen points, well outside the playoff spots in Clausura 2026. Espigares has done a good job integrating youth into the side since his promotion from the academy. But La Franja still lack consistency, as the last five matches have shown.
Goals and drama could flow at Akron Stadium
Puebla have lost 2-1 to both Santos Laguna and Pachuca on the road, beaten Tigres 3-1 at home and then drawn 0-0 with Necaxa in a game that was going nowhere. They have conceded multiple goals in several recent away games and appear to be lacking the cutting edge to really challenge the top half of the table.
Chivas’ goal power has increased in the second half of the campaign with the breakout season of forward Armando ‘La Hormiga’ González. He has provided a focal point that Chivas needed and has been well-served by the likes of Efraín Álvarez and the wide attackers.
Puebla have Santiago Ormeño still rehabbing and do not have another player of that quality. Emiliano is their main reference point in attack and is the team’s top scorer. Osvaldo Martínez and Alejandro Chumacero offer experience and creativity in midfield, but La Franja are likely to struggle to keep up with the energy and tempo of Chivas.
Milito’s side should be better than Puebla
Milito’s men should get the win they need to take them closer to automatic qualification for the Liguilla while Puebla will remain outside the playoffs if they lose on Sunday. But Espigares will set up his team to frustrate the hosts and they are capable of keeping the score to a decent level if they can be compact enough.
The home pitch recently underwent pitch work, which should favour the more direct Chivas team and we could see an end-to-end contest in the warm evening in Guadalajara. Raúl Rangel has been reliable in goal, saving a crucial penalty recently, and Chivas have enough attacking talent to make Puebla pay for any mistakes at the back. Backing Over 2.5 goals at 11/20 looks the safest bet for this top vs bottom matchup.
