Tigres UANL vs. FC Juarez Prediction: Juarez Aiming to Turn Things Around

• Tigres UANL were held to a frustrating draw against Atlas FC this past weekend and tumbled down to seventh place in the Clausura 2024 table 

• FC Juarez remained rooted to the bottom of the table after tasting defeat for the fifth time this season against Monterrey this past weekend 

• Last season, FC Juarez hosted Tigres UANL and held them to a 1-1 draw after Amaury Escoto’s 77th-minute strike nullified Luis Quinones’ 37th-minute opener

Tigres UANL vs. FC Juarez Odds

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Tigres UANL vs. FC Juarez Pick

• Our Pick: Tigres UANL to win.

Tigres UANL vs. FC Juarez Predictions

A recent dip in form has cut down Tigres’ league wins significantly. The eight-time Liga MX champions have only registered one win in their last five league matches. After winning their first three matches of the Clausura 2024 season, Tigres were held to back-to-back draws by Queretaro and Pumas. The club bounced back to defeat Santos 3-0, only to lose 1-0 against a resurging Cruz Azul side. This past weekend, they dropped points in another winnable game against Atlas FC.

Juarez are set to finish the season with a wooden spoon. After losing against Monterrey last weekend, their winless run in Liga MX was extended to 11 games. This season, Juarez have played seven games, lost five, and drawn two. They have scored just four goals and conceded 12. A win can help them leapfrog two clubs above them – Puebla and Tijuana. However, considering the form Juarez are in, that seems unlikely. They also have a tough series of fixtures coming up, and things could only worsen here.

The bookmakers have backed the hosts as firm favorites, which is unsurprising. Juarez have struggled against weaker teams, so there will be no hope for the visitors to get something from title contenders. In addition, Juarez will play on enemy territory, handing all advantages to the hosts.

Previous Meetings

This will only be the tenth Liga MX encounter between Tigres and Juarez. The former has won six out of the previous nine encounters with Juarez, while the latter is still waiting to open the account against the eight-time Liga MX champions. Three encounters have ended in draws, of which two have come in the last two seasons.

In the Apertura 2023 season, the match ended in a 1-1 draw at Estadio Olimpico Benito Juarez. Tigres were the hosts in the Clausura 2023 season but could not capitalize on home advantage as both sides split the points after a goalless draw. It was an evenly-matched contest, and both sides came close to breaking the deadlock, but the defenses were on top.

The last time Tigres hosted and won against Juarez was in the Apertura 2021 season. A Nicolas Lopez brace and a goal from Juan Pablo Vigon helped the hosts sink Juarez 3-0. In the two seasons after that, Tigres visited Juarez’s backyard twice and returned with all three points on both occasions.

Tigres UANL Cannot Afford to Squander Opportunity  

Facing Juarez is like facing a team that has brought three points on a plate for their opponent. Tigres must capitalize on this situation and secure a big win to move back into the competitive top four.

Last season, there were few playoff spot contenders and more available spots. This season, the tables have turned. With the resurgence of Cruz Azul and Pachuca, there will be six or seven teams fighting for the four playoff spots, which is why Tigres cannot afford a slip-up now.

The Coach Needs to Change the Front Line

In the last two matches, Coach Robert Siboldi deployed an attack featuring veteran Andre-Pierre Gignac and young Jonathan Herrera. The latter has failed to impress against Cruz Azul but nabbed an assist against Atlas.

However, the 22-year-old may not be as prolific as Nicolas Ibanez. Siboldi has dropped the Argentine to the bench in the last two matches. Ibanez has scored three and assisted as many in seven appearances and should return to the starting lineup against Juarez.

The Hosts Need to Stop Dropping Points at Home  

Tigres have failed to take full advantage of their home games this season. The eight-time Liga MX champions have played three home matches and won just once.

The other two encounters, against Pumas and Atlas, have ended in frustrating stalemates. Defeating Juarez will help the hosts take the first step towards fixing their home record.

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New Coach Trying to Turn Things Around for FC Juarez

Coach Diego Mejia parted ways with the club after picking up just two points in the opening five games of the Clausura 2024 season for Juarez. Former New York Red Bulls and Vasco da Gama manager Mauricio Barbieri took over after that but has yet to pick up points for the club.

After the change, Juarez switched from an attack-minded tactic to a defense-minded tactic. By dropping a striker and adding an extra man in midfield or in defense, Barbieri is trying to build from the back. It has not led to success yet, but this approach could work in the future.

Rampant Changes in Formation Could Confuse the Players  

Mejia deployed a 4-5-1 formation against Club America, after which the club switched to an orthodox 4-4-2 against Atlas. In the draw against Necaxa, Juarez played with a 3-4-3 formation.

Once Barbieri arrived, he deployed a 4-5-1 in the match against Chivas and then switched to a 5-4-1 against Monterrey. So many changes are bringing confusion instead of cohesion in the team.

Key Attacker Set to Start Against Tigres

Aviles Hurtado missed a few games for Juarez recently due to an injury. The attacker was on the bench against Monterrey before eventually making a late appearance as a substitute.

Juarez primarily relied on Hurtado for goals and assists last season. In this campaign, the responsibility to rescue a few points for Juarez will continue to rest on the 36-year-old’s shoulders.

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How to Watch Tigres UANL vs. FC Juarez

• Teams: Tigres UANL vs FC Juarez

• Location: Estadio Universitario

• Time: Wednesday, February 28 at 8:00 pm ET

• How to Watch: Univision, Telemundo, Fox Sports, ESPN, Vix and Sling TV