Tigres UANL vs Atletico de San Luis Prediction, Picks, Best Bets

Tigres UANL vs Atletico de San Luis Predictions

History books, recent form, and odds - everything favors the hosts in this encounter. Tigres UANL are sitting at the top of the table after three games and will surely extend their advantage with a win over Atletico de San Luis.

Atletico de San Luis finished 13th in the Apertura season, narrowly missing out on a playoff spot. The Estadio Universitario de Nuevo Leon has not been a happy hunting ground for Atletico de San Luis, as in six Liga MX meetings, the side have lost three and drawn three.

Considering the season and recent form, the possibility of a draw is very low. Tigres UANL have already defeated Santos Laguna and Apertura champions Pachuca in the opening two games before settling for a point against Tijuana.

In the Apertura 2022 season, when these two sides met, the game was played in Atletico de San Luis’ backyard. However, the home advantage did not come into play as the visitors walked away with a comfortable 3-0 win.

Andre-Pierre Gignac bagged a brace that evening and Francisco Cordova chipped in with the other goal of the match. Gignac found the back of the net when these two sides met last year as well, in the Clausura season of 2022. Carlos Gonzalez was also on target as Tigres UANL won 2-1.

Across all competitions, the two sides have met 17 times. Tigres UANL have emerged victorious on ten occasions, while Atletico de San Luis have snatched a victory only twice. Five encounters have ended in a draw. Atletico de San Luis’s last Liga MX victory over Tigres UANL came in the Apertura season of 2010.

Ambitious Tigres UANL Will Eye the Title  

In the Apertura league phase, Tigres UANL finished in fifth place. In the playoffs, they reached the quarter-finals where they were eliminated by the eventual champions Pachuca - a loss they have already avenged this season.

After a disappointing preseason, Tigres UANL find themselves sitting at the summit of the Clausura table. The side have lifted the Liga MX title before. They have won it seven times with the last one coming in Clausura 2019.

Tigres UANL possess the poise and potential to go all the way this season. There will be several hurdles but they have sailed over a couple of tricky ones already. As long as complacency does not creep into the side at a crucial stage, they could shoot for the stars.

Fixed Formation and Solid Shape Are the Need of the Hour  

In the first three games of the Clausura season, Manager Diego Cocca has deployed three different formations. The Argentinian fielded a 4-3-3 against Santos Laguna in the opener before switching to a 3-5-2 against Pachuca.

Finally, in the last game, he fielded an extremely defensive 5-4-1, which raised a few eyebrows. Due to that, Tigres UANL dropped points for the first time this season. It will be interesting to see what tactic Cocca sticks to for the rest of the season. 

Gignac Expected to Steal the Spotlight Again  

Tigres UANL have a set of splendid players and amongst them is their star man, Andre-Pierre Gignac. The Frenchman scored 11 goals and pocketed three assists in the Apertura season and has gotten off to an amazing start in the Clausura campaign as well.

In the three games played so far, Gignac has scored three goals and assisted two. The 37-year-old will surely be looking to add more to his tally and with players like Luis Quinones and Fernando Gorriaran on the same team, tasks are easier to complete.

Playoffs in Atletico de San Luis’ Crosshairs   

In the Apertura 2022 league phase, Atletico de San Luis came tantalizingly close to playoffs qualification but eventually missed out by a single point. That is something manager Andre Jardine would like to change this time around.

Atletico de San Luis got off to a perfect start with a 3-2 away win against a struggling Necaxa side. In the next game, they secured the first clean sheet of the season but dropped a couple of points in the goalless draw against CD Guadalajara.

They will be coming into this game after a disappointing 3-1 loss against Monterrey. Primary left-back Aldo Cruz has been out since October, as Uziel Garcia is trying his level best to impress in that position.

Considering everything, the task to get points off Tigres UANL will be nothing but an uphill task for Atletico de San Luis. The last time they were able to hold Tigres UANL to a draw at home was during Apertura 2019. 

Goals Per Match Need to Increase  

Atletico de San Luis have been nothing but shy in front of the goal. During the Apertura league phase, they scored the fewest goals in the league after finishing with a tally of just 15 goals in 17 games. The side should not expect any points from the next game if they only score one goal.

Averaging less than a goal per match, Atletico de San Luis will rely on Jardine to derive a tactic that makes them a tad efficient and potent in front of goal. A marked improvement can help the side pick up several points that they have dropped on previous occasions and finally make it to the playoffs. 

New Signing Leo Looks Promising

In an effort to boost their attacking prowess, Atletico de San Luis roped in Leo on a free transfer. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers striker scored on his debut against Necaxa but fired a blank against CD Guadalajara in the second game. 

The 28-year-old was on the scoresheet again last week when he scored what turned out to be only a consolation goal against CF Monterrey. A lot will be expected from the striker, especially after the departure of Abel Hernandez, who scored eight out of Atletico de San Luis’ 15 goals last season.