Tigres vs Monterrey Prediction, Betting Odds & Picks

• Manager Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti must find a way to alter his tactics with Tigres.
• Monterrey have had a few head-scratching moments in April.
• When looking at results in the recent past, a close scoreline appears to be in the cards for Tigres vs Monterrey.

Tigres vs Monterrey Odds

Tigres vs Monterrey Predictions and Picks

It may not be the most popular rivalry in Mexico, but if you ask most experts, the Clasico Regio is easily the one with the most star-studded talent in Liga MX.

With starters and backups that are the envy of nearly every other club in North and South America, both Tigres and Monterrey are powerhouses in a league that has no lack of technically brilliant players.

Heading into Saturday, Monterrey are higher up in the league table but have also struggled to collect wins in recent games. As for Tigres, they’ll be the slight favorites as the hosts but have also shown inconsistencies throughout the 2021 Clausura season.

Blowouts aren’t exactly the norm in these rivalry games between the two.

Pick:

Tie (+225)

How to Watch Tigres vs Monterrey

In spite of their six-point cushion over Tigres, Monterrey are looking uneasy as they lazily limp into this Saturday’s match. They’ve lost two games in a row, they’ve earned two reds during that run, and have also played some unconvincing soccer that has made them look second-best against inferior opponents.

Tigres, on the other hand, seem to vary wildly from goal-hungry superstars that can score three times in a matter of minutes, and ponderous tacticians who overcomplicate decisions in low-scoring results. We’ve seen a little of both since March, meaning that while they should prove to be a threat to Monterrey, they might not have enough resolve to truly claim a victory.

Manager Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti Has A “Tuca-ball” Problem With Tigres

Let’s explain what “Tuca-ball” is. Under the leadership of manager Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti, Tigres have developed a style of play that prioritizes possession, patient passing, and the occasional cross from speedy wingers to target man Andre-Pierre Gignac.

It’s a predictable tactic for Ferretti, but it has worked wonders in the past against teams who seem to run out of energy as they chase after the ball for 90 minutes and fail to stop Gignac’s powerful shots and headers. This style has also made them the most dominant Liga MX team of the last decade.

That said, that predictability has led to teams finally figuring them out. Ferretti does mix things up tactically during the odd game or two, but in general, any Liga MX manager can figure out a way to prepare against the “Tuca-ball” approach.

It’s what influenced the 0-0 draw for Tigres against Pumas last week, and in numerous instances this season, it’s the big reason why they’ve lost or drawn 10 of their 15 games.

On The Other End Of The Pitch, Monterrey Also Have Questions To Answer

First and foremost, the decision-making of some of Monterrey’s players needs to be brought up. Days after Jesus Gallardo was shown a second yellow for an unnecessary foul in the 1-0 loss to Pachuca last Sunday, Luis Sanchez was shown a direct red for a poorly-timed foul on Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to Chivas.

Although the second red might have been soft, it’s a worrisome trend for the team who also had their manager missing the last game after breaking the league’s COVID-19 protocol — he attended a social event and was therefore temporarily banned.

In the attack, Monterrey have also looked like their old selves in recent weeks with plenty of chances but only a small amount of goals to show for them.

No lack of hurdles.

History Points To A Tight Result

It’s a fact that in recent years, there is rarely much of a difference between Monterrey and Tigres in the Clasico Regio.

In the last 20 editions, only one game had a team winning by more than a two-goal margin. There have been five draws in the last 11 meetings, and within those last 11, the most common scorelines have been 1-1 and 1-0.

These aren’t exactly goal fests, and with Ferretti unlikely to take too many chances, an entertaining draw seems to be the most probable end to Saturday’s match.