Atlas and Cruz Azul will raise the curtains on this year’s Liga MX Clausura playoffs, with both sides eyeing a place in the final four.
The clubs will meet in a post-season double, starting this Saturday at the Estadio Jalisco (Guadalajara) before meeting again at the Estadio Banorte (Mexico City) a week later.
Cruz Azul head into the game as the favorites, finishing the regular season seven points better than their quarter-final rivals, but it’s Los Zorros who come into the meeting in better form.
Atlas managed to avoid defeat in all their final four matches of the season, albeit in uneventful style. They only scored twice over that span, but also recorded four-straight clean sheets.
Diego Cocca’s side secured Liguilla qualification by winning their final game of the regular season, at the Estadio Banorte, against Club América. He will savor the opportunity to do so again against another major player within Mexican football.
Atlas vs Cruz Azul: Team news
Diego Cocca will have a fully fit squad to choose from as he looks to take the club one step closer to a first league title since 2022.
As for Cruz Azul, there are two notable absences. Jeremy Márquez picked up a muscle injury against Necaxa. Erik Lira received a national team call-up for the World Cup. That means last week’s Necaxa appearance could possibly be his last for La Máquina, as he is expected to move to Europe this summer.
Atlas vs Cruz Azul: Facts
The last time Atlas reached a Liguilla was back in 2023, when they made it to the Clausura semi-finals. On their way to the final four, they knocked Cruz Azul out of the competition as Brian Lozano scored a second-minute winner in the capital.
Since then, the sides have met six times, with the most memorable coming during the 2025 Apertura. Both sides shared the points during a six-goal classic, with Atlas looking set to win the game before a last-minute equaliser from Angel Sepúlveda.
In the last six meetings, the record is:
- Atlas: 1 win
- Draws: 4
- Cruz Azul: 1 win
Where to Watch?
Proceedings at the Estadio Jalisco will get underway at 9:15pm local time, 11:15pm ET/8:15 PT on Saturday, 2nd May 2026.
The match will be available on Canal 5 in Mexico. For those watching Stateside, you watch on TUDN and Univision, or stream it on Amazon Prime Video.
