Liga MX Clausura Preview: Veljko Paunović Returns to Old Stomping Ground | OneFootball

Matchday three of the 2025 Liga MX Clausura is just around the corner, bringing with it a mix of heartwarming reunions and some that may prove to be rather uncomfortable.

The weekend provides the first opportunity for León fans to witness their new signing James Rodríguez feature at the Estadio Léon as they host FC Juárez whilst Veljko Paunovic heads back to the Estadio Akron for the first time since leaving the club a year ago.

Here is all you can expect this weekend:

Friday 24th January 2025

Both San Luis and Necaxa will have mixed feelings about their starts to the Clausura, with each side recording a win and a loss. The hosts began their campaign with a defeat to Tigres but bounced back in dramatic fashion, securing a stoppage-time winner against Puebla last week. Meanwhile, Necaxa suffered an opening loss to Pumas before edging out Chivas in a thrilling five-goal encounter. The last three meetings between these two sides have produced a different result each time, but who will emerge victorious this time at the Estadio Alfonso Lastras Ramírez?

Víctor Vucetich's Mazatlán have only one point from their first two matches and face an uphill task as they welcome Toluca to town. Los Diablos Rojos opened with a 4-2 win over Tijuana before Helio Junio's rocket helped them take a point from their clash with Monterrey. A win for the visitors this weekend would send a strong message to the rest of the league, while an upset for the home side would boost their hopes of challenging for the Liguilla.

Tijuana reached the Apertura Liguilla but a loss to Toluca and point away to a much-changed Club América side raises concerns regarding their hopes this time around, but they will be hoping to kickstart their season with a win on matchday three to Querétaro. Los Gallos started life under Benjamín Mora with a loss to América before earning an impressive win last week against Pumas.

Saturday 25th January 2025

Cruz Azul vs Puebla León vs FC Juárez Chivas vs Tigres Santos Laguna vs Club América Monterrey vs Pachuca

Cruz Azul suffered the same amount of losses on gameweek two as they did for the entire Apertura campaign, and Martín Anselmi's imminent departure causes concern regarding La Máquina's focus with Puebla's visit. The draw to Atlas on the opening week was followed up with a surprise 1-0 loss to Juárez with Azul searching for a first win of the season. Their weekend guests, Puebla, also find themselves in the same position despite a commendable draw against Monterrey, they followed it up with a narrow defeat to San Luis. Can either of these sides pick up their first three points in matchday three?

James Rodríguez came on for thirty minutes during Léon's comeback win over Atlas last week and could be set for a first start for Los Leones as they host Juárez at the Estadio Leon. The home side will continue without Stiven Mendoza, serving a suspension from last season as does fellow Colombian Edgar Guerra. Juárez travel to Guanajuato with an unbeaten record to start the season, a draw with Mazatlán was followed up with José Rodríguez's only goal of the game to pick up a shock win over Cruz Azul.

Atlas v Leon - Torneo Clausura 2025 Liga MX | Jam Media/GettyImages

Chivas vs. Tigres is the standout fixture of the weekend, with all eyes on the reception awaiting former Los Rojiblancos manager Veljko Paunović. The hosts, who failed to reach the Apertura Liguilla, appointed Óscar García as their new head coach. The Spaniard began his tenure with an opening-day victory over Santos Laguna but saw his side fall to Necaxa in their second outing. Meanwhile, Tigres are the only team to maintain a perfect record after two matches and will be eager to extend their winning streak to three when they visit Guadalajara.

Santos Laguna endured an Apertura campaign to forget, prompting a managerial change that saw Fernando Ortiz take the helm. The former Monterrey boss has faced a challenging start to life at the club, suffering back-to-back defeats to Chivas and Pachuca. The road ahead doesn’t get any easier, as they now face the daunting task of taking on three-time consecutive champions Club América in hopes of ending their ten-game winless streak.

Pachuca started their campaign last week with a win over Santos Laguna, albeit being handed two own goals. Los Tuzos fans got to see John Kennedy in action for the first time last weekend following his loan move from Fluminese as he grabbed an assist in the win. As for Monterrey, they have drawn their first two games of the season, against Puebla and Toluca but will be hoping to get underway this weekend, with the help of former Pachuca midfielder Nelson Deossa, who joined the club earlier this month. The game could also see new signing Carlos Salcedo make his debut for the club following his free transfer from Juárez.

Pachuca v Santos Laguna - Torneo Clausura 2025 Liga MX | Hector Vivas/GettyImages

Sunday 26th January 2025

Pumas vs Atlas

The final game of the weekend takes place in the capital, where Pumas will be eager to bounce back from last week’s defeat to Querétaro. They face an Atlas side still searching for its first win under new manager Gonzalo Pineda. An opening-day draw against Cruz Azul was a promising start, but last week's loss to León has raised questions about their credentials this season. While it's only matchday three, a victory for either side would provide a significant boost to their Liguilla ambitions.