Preview: Atlas vs. Puebla · prediction, team news, line-ups

Atlas host Puebla at the Estadio Jalisco on Sunday 25 October, with kick-off at 17:00 Mexico City time, in Matchday 14 of the Apertura 2026.

The Zorros sit sixth on 21 points. Puebla are 13th on 16 and have gone five games without a win.

Match preview

Atlas arrive on 21 points from 13 games with a goal difference of -2. They are sixth in the 18-team table and are looking to stay inside the Liguilla qualification places.

Their latest outing was a heavy one, a 5-2 home defeat to Club America on Thursday 22 October. Before that they won 2-0 at Necaxa, drew 1-1 with Chivas, beat Tijuana 3-2 away and drew 1-1 with Pumas.

Home form is the concern. At the Jalisco they have won one, drawn three and lost three, scoring eight and conceding 14. That is the weak spot of a side that has stayed high up thanks to its work on the road.

Away from home they have been a different team, with five wins and one defeat in six, scoring 13 and conceding nine. Luis Esteves is their top scorer with five goals.

Puebla are 13th on 16 points with a goal difference of -4. They are winless in five, with three draws and two defeats, the latest a 4-1 home loss to Monterrey on 22 October.

Before that they drew 0-0 at Tijuana and 1-1 with Leon, lost 1-0 at Tigres and drew 1-1 with Atlante. They scored only three goals across those five matches.

For the season they have scored 13 and conceded 17. On the road they have won three, drawn one and lost three, with six goals for and seven against. Those are numbers of tight games and limited attacking output.

Recent head-to-head history favours Atlas. They won the last four Liga MX meetings: 2-1 in July 2024, 3-2 in February 2025, 3-2 in July 2025 and 1-0 in January 2026.

Puebla did win a friendly 4-3 on 10 July 2026, a seven-goal game that carries no weight in the table.

Both sides played on Thursday, so they have had three days to recover. Atlas need to fix their home inconsistency, while Puebla must pick up points to stay in touch with the Liguilla race.

Team news

Our data shows no injured or suspended players for either side. With both teams in action on Thursday, rotation in the starting XIs is possible.

For Atlas, Luis Esteves arrives as the main attacking threat. One statistics source lists Duk and Milton Valenzuela among the absentees, but that is unconfirmed and official team news is worth waiting for.

Puebla have no confirmed absentees and will look to respond after the 4-1 loss to Monterrey. Attention will fall on an attack that has produced little in recent weeks.

Predicted XIs differ between outlets, so we are not publishing one. Teams are confirmed shortly before kick-off.