Toluca ended León’s Liga MX reign, No. 1 seed next
Liga MX Coach of the Year candidate
Cruz Azul enters the playoffs as the clear favorite. The club tied the Liga MX record for most points in 17-game season (41) despite losing its first two games. The Cementeros did not lose again, cranking out a Liga MX record-tying 12 consecutive wins.
After accepting the Cruz Azul post just days before the season opener, rookie coach Juan Reynoso was in danger of losing his job eight days into the Guardianes 2021. The former Cementeros defender (a key member of the 1997 champs, Cruz Azul’s most recent Liga MX trophy) restored the team’s fragile psyche and never looked back. He even bested Enrique “Ojitos” Meza’s franchise record for most wins in a short season (13).
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Reynoso has his team playing a very workmanlike style and regular player rotation has encouraged competition, boosting performance. Cruz Azul is a fundamentally sound team with tactical adaptability and few weaknesses.
Jesús Corona led Liga MX with eight clean sheets and the Cementeros conceded a league low 11 goals. Pablo Aguilar’s return from a knee injury boosted the back line, while Juan Escobar’s versatility has been a real bonus.
The emergence of “Pol” Fernández and Walter Montoya in midfield has given Luis Romo freedom to roam from box-to-box. Rafa Baca holds the line in front of the back four, while Orbelín Pineda and Roberto Alvarado exploit the flanks. Jonathan Rodríguez led the team in goals for a third consecutive season (9).