Juarez vs. Puebla - prediction, team news, lineups

Juarez and Puebla statesman their 2026-27 Liga MX run with a clash astatine Estadio Olimpico Benito Juarez connected Friday night.

The fixture marks the commencement of the Apertura 2026 league phase, with the hosts finishing past season's corresponding run successful eighth, portion their visitors ended successful a disappointing 18th.

Match preview

Pedro Caixinha leads his Juarez broadside retired successful Friday's archetypal gameweek, aiming to proceed their momentum from pre-season astatine the commencement of the Apertura campaign.

The hosts secured 2 wins and arsenic galore draws successful their tune-up fixtures, scoring astatine slightest doubly successful 3 of those fixtures, including a 3-1 triumph implicit Zacatecas Mineros astatine the commencement of the month.

The lone clip they did not people much than one, though, came successful their astir caller affable crippled against MLS broadside Colorado Rapids, adjacent if they inactive avoided defeat.

These results undeniably basal Los Braves successful bully stead up of their season-opening crippled successful beforehand of their supporters, who surely caput into Friday nighttime (Saturday greeting UK) alert of their side's ongoing five-match unbeaten tally successful this fixture.

Juarez person not suffered decision successful this fixture since August 2023, and they volition backmost themselves to widen that series astatine Puebla's expense.

Los Camoteros person not had the hitch of the greenish successful their encounters with their Ciudad Juarez-based hostile since securing 2-0 and 1-0 victories successful April and August 2023, respectively, amid their ain five-match tally without defeat, claiming 3 victories.

Despite the turnaround successful fortunes successful this fixture, eagle-eyed observers volition constituent to the closeness of the results, with Puebla losing 4-3, 3-2 and 2-0, portion they person since played retired 2 people draws successful October 2025 and April this year.

Perhaps that and not their three-year winless tally should beryllium considered heading into the Apertura 2026 opener, adjacent if a mixed tally successful pre-season whitethorn preach caution implicit excitement.

Having ended the Clausura play failing to triumph since March, during an eight-match sequence, losing six, the Sweet Potatoers person notched wins implicit Tlacala and Atlas, either broadside of a decision to Pachuca.

Immediately lasting retired was Puebla's nonaccomplishment to support cleanable sheets successful their wins — 3-1 and 4-3 — portion letting successful 3 successful their nonaccomplishment to Pachuca highlights continued antiaircraft challenges up of the commencement of a caller run aft finishing the corresponding play bottom.

Juarez friendlies form:

Puebla friendlies form:

Team News

Eder Lopez is suspended for Juarez aft his sending disconnected against Pumas successful April, ruling retired the left-back for the league opener, portion Bryan Romero's presumption is questionable aft a semipermanent genu injury.

Oscar Estupinan was the team's starring goalscorer successful the Apertura and Clausura past season, notching 9 and six, respectively, and helium ought to pb the onslaught connected Friday night.

The location broadside could manus debuts successful varying capacities to Said Godinez and Lucas Romero, portion loanees Gilberto Sepulveda and Juan Sigala could get minutes.

Puebla person a fewer wounded doubts heading into their league opener, with Raul Castillo having not played since a limb interruption past year, portion Ignacio Maestro (ankle) and Kevin Velasco volition beryllium assessed.

No subordinate scored much than Emiliano Gomez's six goals successful the Apertura past season, with Ricardo Marin (four) present astatine Guadalajara, meaning La Franja indispensable find alternate final-third solutions.

Mathias Tomas could marque his debut for Puebla, caller disconnected a play which saw him people 4 and assistance 5 for APOEL, giving Los Camoteros a antithetic magnitude successful the attacking third.

Juarez imaginable starting lineup:

Jurado; Aquino, J. Garcia, Murillo, Mayorga; Monchum D. Garcia; Madson, Torres, Ricardinho; Estupinan

Puebla imaginable starting lineup:

Gutierrez; De la Rosa, Almada, Vargas, Villa; Ramirez, Organista; Tomas, Baltazar, Gomez; Torres

We say: Juarez 2-1 Puebla

The hosts get with stronger caller momentum and a utile grounds successful this fixture, which should springiness them the borderline successful a competitory play opener.

Puebla should find the backmost of the net, but Juarez look amended placed to unafraid the points.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.