Monterrey’s probable lineup for Necaxa Vs Monterrey on Sunday, July 26, 2026 points to a new look in Matías Almeyda’s second match in charge. Luis Cárdenas is listed to start in goal, and Orbelín Pineda could be available for the game as Monterrey lines up for the second date of the regular phase of the Liga MX Clausura 2026.
That is why the matchup is drawing attention now. Readers want to know not only who will face Necaxa, but how soon Almeyda will begin shaping the side around the players he has available. Cárdenas is the current starter after taking the position from Santiago Mele and Esteban Andrada, which makes his name the clearest marker of where the team stands at the moment.
The rest of the probable back line is set with Ricardo Chávez at right back, Daniel Aceves and Stefan Medina at center back, and Gerardo Arteaga at left back. Óliver Torres appears in midfield, giving Monterrey a spine that is already defined even if the full selection is not. That structure matters because it shows Almeyda is not waiting for a later date to settle the team’s defensive base and central control.
The part that remains unresolved is Pineda. He is one of Monterrey’s most recent reinforcements and could be used against Necaxa, but the lineup stops short of saying he will start. That leaves the key question inside the team sheet itself: whether he is ready to join the opening group or whether Almeyda keeps him as a resource from the bench in his second match.
Monterrey will find out soon enough. The club is scheduled to face Necaxa at 19:00 hours on Sunday, and the official lineup remains unconfirmed. If Pineda is included, it would be one of the first clear signs of how quickly Almeyda plans to trust a recent addition in the Liga MX Clausura 2026.
