Soccer

Tijuana Xolos vs Atlas: Play Ball

Tijuana Xolos kicks off the season at home

By Jonny RicoJuly 19, 2013

After a summer filled with many changes, the new season of Mexican soccer is now here. New manager, new players, and new artificial grass at the Estadio Caliente all welcome in the Apertura 2013 season of Liga Bancomer MX. The season will kickoff with the Tijuana Xolos receiving the visit from last season's "Cinderella Story" Atlas.

The game is scheduled for Friday July 19 at the Estadio Caliente at 7:30PM local time.

While the core of the team is still here, this will be a totally different team than the one Antonio "El Turco" Mohamed managed; especially in this week one game against Atlas. Due to the arrival and departure of some key players, plus the list of injured players, and the few players still out with their national teams; this will make the Tijuana side make some drastic changes to the team that finished out last season mere inches away from a historic qualification into the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores.

The early games of this season will be a huge opportunity for some young players to stick around in the first team. Tijuana Xolos youth product Bruno Piceno, Antonio Maduña, and Oliver Ortiz have been having some key minutes during the preseason and will look to continue in the early goings of the season. New addition Paul Arriola who was brought in for the Xolos U-20 squad has made a big impression on Almiron during the preseason and will look to take advantage of any opportunity to stay in the first team squad.

Atlas was also able to hold on to the core of players that achieved the second overall position in the league table last season and that were eliminated in the quarterfinal round to Santos. The biggest loss for the Guadalajara side is that of their manager Tomas Boy. At the conclusion of last season Boy did not want to sign a contract extension and opted to leave the club in spite of their good results.

The biggest achievement for Atlas this off season was to be able to hold on to striker Omar Bravo who was sold from Cruz Azul to Chivas. But Atlas still has six months left on the loan deal with Cruz Azul for Bravo, so the player will play this season with Atlas. At the conclusion of this season he will then join Chivas for the Clausura 2014 season.

Possible Lineups: