Back to the Azteca yesterday to watch Cruz Azul vs Puebla.
First time seeing "La Máquina" live.
Cruz Azul is one of the most interesting projects in Liga MX. I started following them under Martín Anselmi in 2024, and their positional play remains one of the league's most distinctive identities.
They have assembled a squad full of midfielders: Erik Lira, Jeremy Márquez, Palavecino, Charly Rodríguez, Paradela, Amaury García and Luka Romero.
With profiles like these, it's only natural that they constantly look to overload central areas. Cruz Azul don't rely on traditional wingers. Instead, attacking midfielders like Paradela and Luka Romero start wide but drift inside, while even Márquez, a natural midfielder, is now playing at right-back.
It's not unusual to see Cruz Azul field five or even six natural midfielders in the starting XI.
Erik Lira is important to allow them to switch between a back four and a back three by dropping into the defensive line as an extra centre-back.
One of the most possession-oriented teams in Mexican football and champions of the last tournament under Joel Huiqui.