Mazatlán vs Club León: Mazatlán Are Still Working Their Way Through The League

• Mazatlán will begin the season hosting Club León at the Estadio de Mazatlán on January 6
• Mazatlán finished in 14th place in the Apertura with 14 points, missing out on the playoffs for the second straight Apertura season
• Club León finished the Apertura season in 10th place with 22 points, making it four Apertura playoff appearances in a row 

Mazatlán vs Club León Odds

Odds taken from BetMGM

Mazatlán vs Club León Pick

Club León to win

Mazatlán vs Club León Predictions

There wasn't a lot between these two sides, which was reflected in how they were placed in the Apertura. Club León finished in 10th place, whereas Mazatlán disappointed by finishing in 14th place. There were only five points between the two sides, however, which would have stung a club of León's stature more than it might have affected Mazatlán. Having said that, Mazatlán were expected to do a lot better after finishing in 10th place in the previous Clausura and will want to make a statement at home. This game should promise a lot of goals, with the clash averaging 3.8 goals per game historically. 

Previous Meetings

The last match between these two sides was a real thriller. Mazatlán won 4-3 on the night and will believe that they can pull off something similar once again.

This game had a bit of everything. Luis Montes gave Club León the lead in the 13th minute, and Victor Davila added to Mazatlán’s misery with a strike in the 29th minute. Mazatlán got their first of the evening at just the right. Michael Rangel’s goal came just before half-time and shifted the tide of the game heading into the second half. 

Giovanni Cardoso leveled the scoring in the 55th minute before Andres Guardia kicked the ball into his own net three minutes later to give Mazatlán the lead for the first time. Mazatlán got a fourth, and Rangel his second to make it 4-2 to Mazatlán. To make matters worse for Club León, Luis Montes got sent off in the 78th minute. They put up a fight and got a goal in stoppage time, thanks to Angel Mena, but it came too late. Mazatlán were 4-3 winners.

Mazatlán Underwhelmed Last Season

Mazatlán made it to the knockouts of the previous Clausura season and were expected to progress further in the Apertura. The improvements didn’t take place, and they were left dangling in 14th place. 

They conceded 24 goals and scored just 17. They weren’t particularly good in either department. Gonzala Sosa scored four goals, Roberto Meraz scored three, and Brian Rubio scored three, but the others failed to contribute effectively. 

The 4-3 win against Club León was one of the highlights of last season, and it’s important that they start the Clausura season with a similar performance. Without a lot of additions being made to the side, Gabriel Caballero will have to make do with most of the players from last season. Benat San Jose wasn’t able to take the team any further. 

Mazatlán Are Still Working Their Way Through The League 

Mazatlán were founded in 2020, which is why expectations aren’t very high. That shouldn’t stop them from attempting to fit in with the big boys in the league. Players need to be convinced that this project is going to propel them further in their careers. 

They’ve never finished towards the very bottom since entering the league but have not really set a marker down. They constantly find themselves in the bottom half of the table. The aim has to go to the top eight for this season. The match against Club León was a sign of the potential that this side has. They need to deliver those sorts of performances consistently. They play with a lot of character, but they need more than just that. Gabriel Caballero needs to provide the team with greater structure – make them hard to beat before the quality can be displayed. 

Mazatlán’s Recent Transfer Activity  

Mazatlán didn’t have a lot of incomings or outgoings in the winter transfer window. They got Aké Loba and Ariel Nahuelpan on a free and Nicolas Bendetti for an undisclosed fee. They’ve let Brian Rubio go out on loan. Manager Gabriel Caballero will have to go get more out of the players from last season. 

Club León Can’t Take Mazatlán Lightly

Club León might’ve finished above Mazatlán last time out, but they’ll be well aware that this is a pretty even contest. Mazatlán didnt’t just beat them in their last contest. They’ve also beaten them twice in the five matches the two have played against one another, and they’re the away side.

They’ve got quite a few goal threats, with Victor Davilla, Joel Campbell, and Angel Mena scoring 13 goals between them in the Apertura, but their defense was extremely leaky last season. 

They conceded 29 goals last season, which was the fifth worst defensive record in the league. They’re playing away from home, which makes it even more imperative that they tighten at the back in this match. 

León Fans Haven't Had Much To Be Excited About 

Unlike Mazatlán, Club León are one of the veterans of this league. They are seven-time Liga MX champions, but many of their victories came decades ago. Their last Liga MX title came in 2014. There is a greater expectation set upon teams like Club León.

They’ve not been able to live up to those expectations recently. The team has fallen out of title contention in the last two seasons. They came third in the 2021-22 Apertura but failed to match that level since. Nicolas Larcamon has a massive job on his hand. He impressed as manager of Puebla and will have to do an even better job at Club León. He won’t last for very long, otherwise. Managing Club León can be a brutal task, but it’ll be easier with some of the new players at his disposal. 

Unlike Mazatlán, Club León have invested quite heavily in the squad this winter transfer window. Fans will expect to see immediate results. 

Club León’s recent transfer activity

Club León have been quite busy in the winter transfer window. Adonis Fra and Lucas Romero have joined the side. Jesus Angulo has also been added to the squad. Ivan Moreno and Brian Rubio have joined on loan. Federico Martinez and Javier Ibarra have been sent out on loan.

How to Watch Mazatlán vs Club León

• Teams: Mazatlán vs Club León
• Location: Estadio de Mazatlán
• Time: Friday, January 6 at 10.10 pm ET onwards
• How to watch: Univision networks TUDN and UniMas, ESPN Deportes, Telemundo and Fox Deportes