Bold Predictions: Guard1anes 2020 Week 1

With two games having been officially rescheduled (San Luis vs. Juárez – from Thursday to Monday; Mazatlán vs. Puebla – from Friday to Monday), the Guard1anes 2020 season is officially set to debut tomorrow night at 8:30 ET (7:30 CT) with the Necaxa vs. Tigres matchup. The season will of course begin with empty stadiums with the hopes that at some point around mid-season fans could start to be allowed back at a certain percent of the stadiums’ total capacity. Whether that will happen or not remains to be seen. What we do know is that Mexican Football league action will return this weekend for this first time in over four months.

There are certain aspects to be looking out for from week to week, and with the start of the brand new 2020-21 soccer year in Mexico, we give way to our Week 1 BOLD PREDICTIONS:

• Rayados de Monterrey end their winless drought. Since being crowned champions back in December in the Estadio Azteca, Mohamed’s squad was unable to win their following 10 league matches, having drawn 5 and lost 5. They have a huge chip on their shoulder and have been hearing about it from everyone since before the COVID pandemic. Look for them to get their first win in 2020 against a weak Toluca side that we saw in the Copa por México a couple weeks ago.
• Chivas will lose home opener against León. While many can’t praise Chivas enough for having reached the Copa por México final which they eventually lost to Cruz Azul, they fail to see thing for what they really are. Even though Chivas may not be the laughingstock they were a year ago, they continue to lack depth and quality in certain positions, and it showed in the preseason tournament. The two toughest games they played (Tigres and Cruz Azul) resulted in losses. Look for “Nacho” Ambriz’s squad to pull away with the season opener on the road in this one.
• América defeat Pachuca on the road. After a difficult preseason tournament and an early semifinal exit to the hands of their most hated rivals, Herrera will be on a mission to prove all his doubters wrong. Following the loss to Chivas last week, #FueraPiojo began to trend on Twitter, and many fans were so displeased that they honestly began to call for Herrera’s exit. We all know “Piojo,” and he is not one to sit back and take shots quietly without responding. He will be on a quest to show his team’s worth right out of the gate.

One important note as we embark on this strange, crowd-less season, is that home and away will definitely not have as much weight as it normally does. Stadiums will be empty for the most part of the season, so many results may not go as we expect, as that could play a huge factor. Whether it affects the favorites or the underdogs remains to be seen. But that will for sure make for an interesting season, as players will be forced to find motivation within themselves instead of by what they see and hear in the stands. Come tomorrow, the Mexican Football season is back.