Liga MX Semi-Final: Cruz Azul & Chivas | OneFootball

And then there were four… and deservedly so. The four teams left standing are the same four clubs that finished at the top of the Clausura 2026 table, meaning there were no Cinderella stories this time around. Just the best teams surviving to play in what promise to be two absolutely electric semifinal series.

In this article we focus on the first semi-final: Chivas and Cruz Azul

Chivas vs Cruz Azul

The schedule has already been announced by Liga MX, and the first leg will be played this Wednesday at the Estadio Banorte. Cruz Azul pushed hard to use the stadium one last time before it officially gets handed over to FIFA. Thankfully for La Máquina, that means they’ll avoid playing at Puebla’s Estadio Cuauhtémoc, where they spent the entire season pretending to feel at home.

The second leg, meanwhile, will take place Saturday at Estadio Jalisco because Chivas already handed over their stadium for the 2026 World Cup. So yes, Guadalajara will now fight for a place in the final at their former home. Which nowadays belongs to Atlas. Football is poetic sometimes.

First Leg Semifinal – Wednesday, May 13Cruz Azul vs Chivas – Estadio Banorte (Azteca)8 PM local time / 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT

Second Leg Semifinal – Saturday, May 17Chivas vs Cruz Azul – Estadio Jalisco7:07 PM local time / 9:07 PM ET / 6:07 PM PT

Chivas Comeback for the Ages

Gabriel Milito’s side reached the semifinals after defeating Tigres 2-0 in Saturday’s second leg. This completed an incredible comeback after losing the first leg 3-1. That defeat had Chivas looking practically unconscious heading into the return match, especially because they were missing five national team players already away with Mexico.

Instead, the Rojiblancos witnessed the birth of a new hero: Santiago Sandoval, the 18-year-old who scored a brace to send Chivas through against all odds against a Tigres team that never went for the kill and eventually paid the price for underestimating a desperate Guadalajara side.

The Argentine coach highlighted the resilience of a squad competing in the playoffs without stars like Armando González, Raúl Rangel, Roberto Alvarado, Luis Romo and Brian Gutiérrez.

“The plan worked because the level was very good and the boys were convinced they were capable of doing it. We learned a lot from the two previous defeats in their stadium, and this time things went better,” he said.

And he closed with a sentence that perfectly captures Chivas’ mentality right now: “You always have to believe, beyond adversity.”

A Challenging Foe

But now standing across from them is Cruz Azul, a team arriving in excellent form after eliminating Atlas with a convincing 4-2 aggregate scoreline.

Interim manager Joel Huiqui spoke about the team reaching the semifinals after surviving difficult weeks that led to Nicolás Larcamón being fired. The bad times suddenly feel like ancient history, and now Cruz Azul stands one step away from the final, reborn like a footballing phoenix.

“There’s no ceiling for this team. We’ve improved in very specific aspects, especially offensively. We can still improve a little in buildup play. What we generated during the work week was very important. The team deservedly reached the semifinals, and we’re very happy about it,” he said.

Hooligan Pick

Chivas has already done more than enough considering they’re missing so many national team players. Unfortunately for them, they now face a Cruz Azul squad loaded with stars that only lost Erik Lira to the Mexican national team call-up.

With a midfield controlled by Agustín Palavecino, José Paradela, Carlos Rodríguez and Carlos Rotondi, it’s hard to imagine Guadalajara being able to stop them. La Máquina looks destined to return to the final and fight for the title.

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