With a short summer break now over, Liga MX is back for the 2023 Apertura season. Both Club America and Juarez will look to kick off their new league campaigns in style when they meet at the Estadio Azteca in the opening round of Apertura fixtures this Saturday.
Few teams performed as well as Club America throughout the opening Torneo Apertura last season. They finished the campaign at the top of the Liga MX standings, winning 12 of their 17 matches. However, they fell short at the semi-final stage later in the season, before finishing runners-up in the Clausura standings and falling at the same hurdle.
Regardless, their consistency will once again make them a force to be reckoned with throughout the first part of the competition this year as they fight to lift silverware this time around under the new management of Andre Jardine.
As for Juarez, they will be seeking better fortunes after enduring a difficult league campaign last time out. They managed to land just four wins from their 17 Apertura matches, but it was still enough to crawl into the reclassification phase, only to be ousted following a 3-0 thumping at the hands of Toluca.
Then, in January, Los Bravos started their Clausura season in a relatively decent form, with three wins and three losses in their first six games, but they were unable to maintain that form.
And after a torrid run of form, manager Hernan Cristante was sacked in early April, with 39-year-old Diego Mejia taking over the charge. But there was no new manager bounce, with his first four games in command producing two draws and two defeats, finishing as low as 16th in the second half of the season.
Here GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Club America vs Juarez kick-off time
| Date: | June 30, 2023 |
| Kick-off time: | 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT |
| Venue: | Estadio Azteca |
The Liga MX Apertura game between America vs Juarez will be played on Friday, June 30, with kick off at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.
How to watch Club America vs Juarez online - TV channels & live streams
| Univision | Watch here | |
| TUDN | Watch here | |
| fuboTV | Watch here |
The game will be broadcast live on TV on TUDN and available to stream live online through fuboTV.
Team news & squads
Club America team news
Las Aguilas have bolstered their squad significantly ahead of the new season, with the statement signing of Mexico international right-back Kevin Alvarez from last season’s Apertura winners Pachuca in a deal worth around €10.25m. Alvarez is set to compete for America’s right-back berth with Luis Fuentes, Miguel Layun and Emilio Lara.
Defender Jorge Mere has returned to the fold after his mixed loan spell with La Liga outfit Cadiz, and will compete for a spot at the heart of the defence, though Israel Reyes, Sebastian Caceres and Nestor Araujo will be ahead of him in the pecking order after their fine defensive displays last season.
Jonathan Rodriguez, who scored 12 goals in his debut campaign for Las Aguilas last season, is still in rehabilitation just over a month after undergoing surgery on his right knee, and may not be available for 3-4 weeks.
Meanwhile, Striker Henry Martin was one of the most prolific strikers in the competition last term, scoring 24 goals across the Apertura and Clausura phases last season. The 30-year-old will be key to their aspirations once again this term.
Club America possible XI: Malagon; Layun, Reyes, Caceres, Fuentes; Fidalgo, Sanchez; Zendejas, Valdes, B Rodriguez; Martin
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Malogon, Jimenez, Tapia |
| Defenders: | Layun, Reyes, Caceres, Fuentes, Araujo, Lara, Mere, Alvarez |
| Midfielders: | Fidalgo, Sanchez, Naveda, Dos Santos, Valdes |
| Forwards: | Martin, B. Rodriguez, Martinez, Medina, Suarez |
Juarez team news
Juarez will be without the services of Emiliano Velazquez indefinitely due to a broken leg. There’s been a lot of chop and change in Diego Mejia’s squad during the off-season.
Last season's top scorer Gabriel Fernandez and winger Alan Medina both saw their respective loan spells come to an end and have returned to their parent clubs, Celta Vigo and Club America, respectively.
Goalkeeper Felipe Rodriguez, defender Carlos Salcedo, and midfielders Jordan Sierra and Joel Sonora have also left the club permanently. On the flip side, Los Bravos have reinforced in the middle of the park with the signings of free agent Angel Zapata and Chivas loanee Sebastian Perez Bouquet.
Aitor Garcia, Sebastian Saucedo, Armaury Escoto, and Aviles Hurtado have also arrived through the door to bolster the attacking ranks.
Juarez possible XI: Talavera; L Rodriguez, Ortega, Reyes, Olivera; Bouquet, Zapata, Salas; Hurtado, Escoto, Garcia
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Talavera, Pasquel, Higuera |
| Defenders: | L Rodriguez, Ortega, Reyes, Olivera, Romero, Cruz, Nevarez, Pelua |
| Midfielders: | Bouquet, Zapata, Salas, Osuna, Sosa, Carmona, Saucedo |
| Forwards: | Garcia, Hurtado, Chavez, Escoto |
Head-to-Head Record
Club America boasts an excellent record in this fixture, as they have won each of their last five matches against Juarez.
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 29/4/23 | Juarez 0-1 America | Clausura 2023 |
| 8/8/22 | America 2-1 Juarez | Apertura 2022 |
| 10/4/22 | America 3-0 Juarez | Clausara 2022 |
| 19/8/21 | Juarez 1-2 America | Apertura 2021 |
| 27/1/21 | America 2-0 Juarez | Clausara 2021 |

