The pressure is on Los Rayados and manager Antonio Mohamed to top their crosstown rival and continue to push toward Liga MX's top prize.
When Tigres won the Liga MX Apertura in December, the entire city of Monterrey was not enraptured. Monterrey's fans and directors had to watch as their crosstown rivals lifted the trophy.
In the offseason, they had engaged in the soccer equivalent of an arms race. Monterrey unveiled a shiny new stadium, one that has to provided one of Mexico's best home-field advantages with Monterrey falling just twice in league play since the summer.