Preview: Tijuana vs. Santos Laguna · prediction, team news, line-ups

Club Tijuana host Santos Laguna on Sunday 25 October at 21:10 (Mexico City time) at the Estadio Caliente, in Matchday 14 of the Apertura 2026.

The Xolos are 11th with 17 points from 12 games, while the Guerreros sit ninth on 19 points from 13 matches.

Match preview

Tijuana are in a winless run. They have not won any of their last five league games, drawing four and losing one. The latest were a 2-2 draw at Toluca on 22 October and a 0-0 stalemate with Puebla.

Before that came a 1-1 draw with Juarez, a 2-3 home defeat to Atlas and a 2-2 draw at Pachuca. The Xolos scored in four of those five matches but also conceded in four.

Home form is healthier. Tijuana have won four, drawn one and lost two of their seven games at the Caliente, scoring 10 and conceding six. Away from home they are yet to win, collecting four draws and one defeat from five trips.

Gilberto Mora is the club's top scorer with five goals, although he has missed their most recent games.

Santos arrive in the opposite mood. Renato Paiva's side have won their last five: 3-2 at Toluca, 1-0 against Pachuca, 2-1 at Atletico San Luis, 5-0 against Queretaro and 2-0 against Pumas on 22 October.

In that spell they have scored 13 goals and conceded only three, keeping a clean sheet in three of the last four.

Their away record tells a different story. Santos have won two of six on the road, scoring nine and conceding 13. At home they have won four, drawn one and lost two, with 10 scored and three conceded. Tahiel Jimenez leads the attack with five goals.

Recent head-to-heads favour the Laguneros. They won the last two meetings, 2-1 in Tijuana in March 2026 and 1-0 in September 2025. Before that, the Xolos won 4-0 away in April 2025 and 3-1 in August 2024, and the sides drew 2-2 in March 2024.

Both teams are looking to climb the table in the closing stretch of the Apertura. Tijuana have a game in hand and trail by just two points, so the result could reshape the standings.

Team news

Tijuana's main absentee is Gilberto Mora. The midfielder has not played since the September international break and, according to Mediotiempo, is not expected to be considered for this round. His return is pencilled in for Matchday 15 against Monterrey.

No other injuries or suspensions have been reported. El Siglo de Torreon projects this XI for the Xolos: Rodriguez; Ortiz, Bilbao, Porozo, Fernandez; Zapata, J. Gonzalez, Padilla; Boya, Arciga and Elias Manoel.

Santos also have no reported injuries or suspensions. The same outlet projects Acevedo; Echeverria, Felipe Sanchez, Pardo, D. Gonzalez; Villalba, Caseres, Cuevas; Aguirre, Tahiel Jimenez and Bullaude. Both sides played on 22 October and have had three days to recover.