Cruz Azul aims to break Leagues Cup curse with renewed unity

Reigning Liga MX champions Cruz Azul embark on their Leagues Cup 2026 journey with a challenging away match against the Philadelphia Union. The team, known as 'La Máquina,' carries the weight of expectation and a recent history of struggles in the tournament, where they have yet to secure a victory in regulation time since its current format began.

Past campaigns have seen Cruz Azul rely on penalty shootouts to advance, with multiple coaching changes, including Ricardo Ferretti, Martín Anselmi, and Nicolás Larcamón, failing to break the streak. The team even suffered a significant 7-goal defeat in their last participation. Now, the responsibility falls on coach Joel Huiqui to change this narrative.

Huiqui believes the current squad's strength lies in its unity and acquired maturity. "I think today the team has matured a lot, it has learned from the mistakes we have made, and I think that is a very important strength," he stated. "We needed that teamwork, that unity, and I think today we have it quite channeled and, above all, well-strengthened within the group."

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I think today the team has matured a lot, it has learned from the mistakes we have made, and I think that is a very important strength. We needed that teamwork, that unity, and I think today we have it quite channeled and, above all, well-strengthened within the group.

The coach stressed that the tournament demands constant focus, despite the absence of away-goal rules. Cruz Azul's immediate objective is to start with a win and shed the pressure associated with their Leagues Cup history. "There is great responsibility, knowing that in previous editions, we have not achieved a victory in 90 minutes, nor have we advanced to important phases," Huiqui added. "In that sense, we are very happy, we are convinced that we can achieve it. And, obviously, the first step would be tomorrow."

Adding to the challenges, forward Christian Ebere was unable to travel with the team due to visa issues, though Huiqui hopes he can rejoin later. Meanwhile, Argentine player Gonzalo Piovi highlighted the logistical disparities, noting Cruz Azul's five-hour travel to face Philadelphia Union on their home turf.

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There is great responsibility, knowing that in previous editions, we have not achieved a victory in 90 minutes, nor have we advanced to important phases. In that sense, we are very happy, we are convinced that we can achieve it. And, obviously, the first step would be tomorrow.