Who is Chivas' player to watch for matchday 3 v Puebla? | OneFootball

One of the keys to how Gabriel Milito’s Guadalajara operates lies at the feet of Daniel Aguirre. His tactical intelligence and ability to show up in different areas of the pitch have been crucial in boosting the team’s collective play and the attacking volume that now set the Rebaño apart. That is why he is our player to watch for Matchday 3 of the Apertura 2026 against Puebla.

'Dani'’s growth has not been a coincidence. He has established himself as an important piece in the rojiblanco system thanks to his ability to contribute both to build-up play and to ball recovery and defensive balance.

His reading of the game allows him to create space, always offer a passing lane, and join the attack to give the team depth from the first phase of build-up. In addition, his constant movement helps him create numerical advantages without neglecting defensive order, as he has the ability to track back quickly when the team loses possession.

That level has been evident since the start of the Apertura 2026. Daniel has started in the first two matchdays, playing 97% of the available minutes to total 176 minutes on the pitch, rewarding the coaching staff’s trust with solid performances.

And this form has a history behind it. Since previous tournaments, he has positioned himself as a reliable and recurring presence in the rojiblanco setup, and proof of that is his numbers in the Clausura 2026: he played 16 Regular Phase matches, totaled 1,334 minutes, and contributed three goals, a noteworthy figure for a player whose main role is not to score. 

Against Puebla, Daniel Aguirre will look to maintain the level that has established him as one of the driving forces of Guadalajara and reaffirm why he is now an unquestioned starter for Gabriel Milito.

Daniel Aguirre’s numbers at the start of Apertura 2026:

- 176 minutes played- 10 defensive contributions- 2 interceptions - 3 clearances- 4 recoveries - 2 aerial duels won- 89 accurate passes- 1 key pass- 2 shots

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.