It's crunch time for Guadalajara, who will have to confirm their great form at the end of the 2025 Apertura with their sights set on reaching the Quarterfinals. Their opponent will be Cruz Azul, who are sure to be a serious contender, so we can expect a great series.
As we know there is a lot of information surrounding the tie that kicks off this Thursday, we have taken on the task of compiling everything you need to know. Keep reading, because here you will find out everything.
How are they doing?
- Guadalajara closed out the AP25 Regular Season with 7 wins in 8 games, leaving a masterclass against Rayados that ended in a 4-2 rout at the Fortaleza Rojiblanca. Gabriel Milito's team finished with 29 points, in sixth place in the tournament.
- La Máquina let victory slip away against Pumas, losing 2-3 at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc. Los Cementeros finished third in the standings with 35 points.
What happened the last time they met in the playoffs?
- It has been 19 years since we last saw a series between Guadalajara and Azul, and it ended very well for the Rebaño. To read the full story, CLICK HERE.
The words of 'Piojo' Alvarado before the Quarterfinal First Leg
What did 'Cotorro' González say in the mixed zone?
Where can I watch the game?
- All Chivahermanos will be following their beloved team, so HERE we share all the channels where you can watch this game live.
Latest lineups
Guadalajara: Raúl Rangel; Daniel Aguirre, Gilberto Sepúlveda, José Castillo; Richard Ledezma, Rubén González (C), Omar Govea, Bryan González; Efraín Álvarez, Roberto Alvarado, and Armando González.
Coach: Gabriel Milito
Cruz Azul: Kevin Mier; Jorge Sánchez, Willer Ditta, Jesús Orozco, Omar Campos; Erik Lira, Carlos Rodríguez, Ángel Márquez, José Paradela; Mateusz Bogusz and Gabriel Fernández.
Coach: Nicolás Larcamón
Referees
- Referee: Guillermo Pacheco Larios
- Assistant 1: Jonathan Maximiliano Gómez
- Assistant 2: Jaime Daniel González Ramírez
- Fourth official: Iván Antonio López Sánchez
- VAR: Diana Stephanía Pérez Borja
- AVAR: Michel Ricardo Espinoza Ávalos
Did you know?
- Guadalajara and Cruz Azul have not faced each other in a Liga MX playoff in almost 20 years, when they met in the quarterfinals of the 2006 Apertura. At that time, Chivas won the series that began at their stadium (2-0), tied the second leg 2-2, and eventually won the tournament.
- Chivas won their last two home games in the League MX Quarterfinals (1-0 against both Pumas and Toluca). If they beat Cruz Azul, it will be the first time they have won three consecutive games at home at this stage.
- Chivas has not lost in 10 of its last 11 Liga MX playoff first-leg home games against teams from Mexico City (5W, 5D), including a 2-0 win over Cruz Azul in the 2006 Apertura, which it went on to win.
- Luis Romo is the second player with the most meters covered in ball movement in the 2025 Liga MX Apertura. The Guadalajara player has accumulated 3,156 meters, behind only Alejandro Mayorga (Juárez) with 3,703.
- Of the teams that qualified for the 2025 Apertura playoffs, Guadalajara is the team with the lowest average age in its starting lineups, at 25 years and 181 days.
- Efraín Álvarez has five second assists (passes leading to goals) in the 2025 Apertura, ranking second in this category alongside José Paradela and behind Carlos Rodríguez, both of Cruz Azul, with six.
- Guadalajara has had 10+ shots on goal in its last six Liga MX games (5W, 1D). If it achieves this against Cruz Azul, it will be its best streak of this type in the entire 2025 Apertura.
- 44% of Armando González's shots in the 2025 Apertura found the back of the net (21/48). This is the best efficiency among Guadalajara players in the tournament who have attempted at least 10 shots so far.
- Despite playing only 894 minutes, Santiago Sandoval is the Guadalajara player who has won the most fouls in the 2025 Apertura, with a total of 34. Ten of these were in the attacking third, also leading Chivas in this aspect.
- Two Guadalajara players made 10+ recoveries in the attacking third in the 2025 Apertura: Efraín Álvarez (17) and Armando González (11).
