On December 3, the first leg matches of the Apertura 2025 semifinals took place. Cruz Azul and Tigres UANL played to a draw at Estadio Banorte. Nicolas Larcamon is heating up the second leg. Cruz Azul will try to upset Tigres at their home stadium. The match at Estadio Banorte was very evenly contested. In the 61st minute, Angel Correa put the visitors ahead, complicating matters for Cruz Azul. But 15 minutes later, Gabriel Matias Fernandez equalized from the penalty spot. La Maquina was aiming for victory at home; now they will try to do so at Tigres' home ground. "A lot of what we can do is go out onto the pitch at El Volcan and silence them. Go out there and play, be clinical in front of goal. We have the strength to do it," Larcamon said after the match. Tigres UANL will have a favorable setting in the second leg. The other match of this series will take place on Sunday, December 7th at Estadio Universitario. The Tigres will try to secure their place in the final in front of their home crowd. But this doesn't affect Larcamon's plans.

“The disadvantage is relative. We have to go there to win. But at the same time, our best version is with that objective. If we had gone there with an advantage today, I think we would have made the mistake of going into the Volcan stadium intending to defend,” he explained.

The Cruz Azul manager is focused on the club's main objective: winning the 2025 Apertura. Nicolas Larcamon is trying to instill a winning mentality in his players. Beyond thinking about the opponent they have in front of them, those at La Maquina are only focused on the fact that it will be another step towards achieving their goal.

“No, it's a closed chapter. I really want it because of what it represents for Cruz Azul. The mission is about how important it would be for us, more than a precedent or a matter of revenge,” he concluded.

Cruz Azul vs. Tigers in numbers