MEXICO CITY -- Azteca Stadium has offered the maximum comforts of home to its two Liga MX tenants this season -- Cruz Azul and Club America. So something will have to give when the two meet Saturday in a match that would leave the winner atop the standings, a position America holds at the moment.
For the moment, the capital rivalry is once more the exclusive property of Azteca after 22 years. Cruz Azul returned to the stadium after moving in from 72-year-old Estadio Azul, its home since 1996, over the summer.
Both clubs have earned a big chunk of their Apertura 2018 points at Azteca, yet only Cruz Azul is undefeated there with seven wins in as many games. For its part, America has won four of six matches at Azteca, leaving points on the filed in draws against its two biggest rivals, Pumas (2-2) and Chivas (1-1).
Aside from its spotless home record, Cruz Azul has also been a force on both ends, with 16 goals scored and just two allowed in the seven games.
Miguel Herrera's squad will play in familiar surroundings against Pedro Caixinha's Cruz Azul, but it will do so technically as the visitor. That may not sit well with America, which has four wins, a tie and two losses as the away team. America has scored 13 goals but has also allowed 10 in those games.
Cruz Azul also enjoys an edge in home attendance over America this Apertura, with 243,972 having witnessed their home perfection over seven dates. Meanwhile, America's home attendance numbers 202,568 in six matches. The figures give Cruz Azul an edge in average attendance of more than 1,000 fans per game -- 34,853 to 33,761.
In its first two games at Azteca this season, Cruz Azul drew more than 45,000 fans each against Puebla and Tigres. Since, the team has averaged 26,800 in five games. America saw 69,486 supporters in the stands for the Clasico against Chivas and 38,342 against Pumas, but has otherwise battled low attendance figures.