The Liga MX 2019 Clausura season began this past weekend and there some exciting games along with some surprises to begin the new campaign. Here are FutnSoccer’s power rankings for the first week, with only 16 of the 18 teams considered, since Club America and Necaxa did not play.
16. Monarcas Morelia
Morelia did not suffer the worst loss in the opening week, but did look horribly defensively and have a much less talented team than Pachuca.
15. Xolos
Club Tijuana suffered 2-0 loss to Chivas in a game where Oscar Pareja’s offense could not get anything going.
14. Queretaro
While Camilo Sanvezzo is still scoring goals for Los Gallos, this team desperately needs Tiago Volpi in net to be competitive.
13. Pachuca
Pachuca was one of the teams that spent the most money this offseason and it was also the team that conceded the most goals in the opening week as Los Tuzos lost 5-0 against Monterrey.
12. Santos Laguna
The 2018 Clausura champions suffered a 2-0 loss against Lobos BUAP to start the season and have clearly downgraded their squad without Osvaldo Martinez and Jonathan Rodriguez.
11. Veracruz
Los Escualos were able to get a point against Pumas UNAM in Mexico City thanks to an impressive performance by young goalkeeper Sebastian Jurado. Robert Siboldi’s team also failed quite a few chances and could have easily come away with the three points.
El paradón de @sebastianjr1 visto desde al tribuna.
¡IMPRESIONANTE! pic.twitter.com/Dln9yQIWgC
— Dale Tiburón – Tiburones Rojos (@DaleTiburonCom) January 6, 2019
10. Pumas UNAM
Pumas UNAM could not score past Veracruz and looked lost in front of its home crowd to start off the 2019 Clausura.
9. Atlas
It took Atlas 631 minutes to score a goal last season, but just 42 this season as new signings Jesus Isijara and Osvaldo Martinez have already made a positive impact on the team.
8. Puebla
Puebla looked like the better team against Cruz Azul and the attack with Omar Fernandez, Matias Alustiza and Lucas Cavallini looks very promising.
7. Lobos BUAP
Lobos BUAP had a nice 2-0 win against Santos Laguna to start the new season as Leonardo Ramos continues to be one of the most effective strikers in the Liga MX.
6. Cruz Azul
Los Cementeros had a slow start to the season and were lucky to come away with a point against Puebla. However, they still have one of the best rosters in the league and the midfield should be sorted with Pineda and Marcone.
5. Leon
Getting a point against Tigres is never a bad thing, Rubens Sambueza has already made a huge impact on Leon and new signings are still rolling in.
4. Tigres UANL
Tigres always seems to start off the tournaments quite slow and almost nearly lost to Leon if it was not for a penalty scored by Andre-Pierre Gignac.
3. Chivas
Chivas had an impressive 2-0 win against Xolos and looks like a much-improved team with Hiram Mier, Jesus Molina and Alexis Vega.
Here's a recap of tonight's season opener. #GoXolos #WeAreSoccer #LigaMXeng pic.twitter.com/s4HtDELzAk
— Xolos (@xolos_en) January 6, 2019
2. Toluca
Enrique Triverio is not even meant to start for Hernan Cristante and he managed to score a hat-trick to lead Los Diablos Rojos past Morelia.
1. Monterrey
Monterrey had the most dominant performance of the weekend and the scary part is that Maxi Meza and Rodolfo Pizarro did not play.
