Monterrey-Pachuca headlines Liga MX opening weekend

Pachuca will visit Monterrey in one of the most anticipated duels of the opening weekend of the 2019 Liga MX Clausura season.

After missing the playoffs by 2 points in the last campaign, Pachuca is confident after a good preseason.

The Tuzos have been the best team of Mexico in the last 20 years, with six Liga MX titles, a Copa Sudamericana victory in 2006 and a third-place finish in the Club World Cup , but their last domestic top-flight crown came in 2016 and they hope to end that drought under the direction of Pako Ayestaran.

The Spanish coach will have a squad bolstered by the arrival of forwards Victor Davila, Nahuel Bustos and Ismael Sosa, midfielder Edwin Cardona, defender Edwin Hernandez and goalkeeper Leonel Moreira.

Pachuca faces a tough challenge Saturday against a Monterrey side who reached the semifinals last season.

While the Rayados have posted the best record in Mexico for the last two years, they have faltered in the big matches, with no titles since 2010.

Monterrey has also been busy on the acquisitions front, bringing in forwards Adam Bareiro and Angel Zaldivar and midfielder Maximiliano Meza to join other top offensive players such as Rogelio Funes Mori, Dorlan Pabon and Aviles Hurtado.