Pumas UNAM, led by Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas, begin their quest for the Mexican Clausura title on Thursday against Cruz Azul, featuring Colombian Kevin Mier, in the first leg of the final. The match will be at Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes in Mexico City, with the return leg scheduled for Sunday at Estadio Ciudad Universitaria.
The felines arrive as favorites after finishing the regular season in first place, while Cruz Azul finished third. Navas aims to lead Pumas to the eighth title in their history, with the last one coming in the Clausura 2011.
Pumas eliminated América in the quarterfinals and Pachuca in the semifinals, advancing on both occasions due to their better position in the table after aggregate draws. Unlike those series, to lift the trophy, the felines will need to defeat La Máquina, as the advantage of a better classification does not apply in the final.
Cruz Azul arrives motivated after eliminating Atlas in the quarterfinals and Guadalajara, the tournament's surprise, in the semifinals. The team went through turbulence at the end of the regular season with the dismissal of Argentine coach Nicolás Larcamón due to a crisis of results. Joel Huiqui, a former club player, took over in his first experience as a top-flight coach and managed to lead the team to the final.
With nine championships, Cruz Azul is the fourth most successful club in the league, having won its last title in 2021.