- Chivas finished 6th in the Apertura 2025 regular season, with 29 points, showing improvement in the final months.
- Cruz Azul finished 3rd in the regular season, accumulating 35 points with a 10W - 5D - 2L record.
- Chivas have won four of their last five matches, including a 4 - 2 victory over Monterrey and a 4 - 1 win against Atlas.
A classic Liga MX Liguilla tie awaits
CD Chivas de Guadalajara, managed by Gabriel Milito, have introduced an intense, high-possession game with a pressing style and structured build-up play, that is perfectly suited to their talent, and the results have followed.
La Bicolor ended the 2025 Apertura season in 6th place, but they found a winning formula during the final stretch of the campaign.
The home side come into this crucial quarter-final clash on the back of a three-match winning streak and will be full of confidence after their latest showing, a 4 - 2 road victory over fellow Liguilla qualifiers Monterrey, in which talisman Armando González scored a brace.
On Wednesday, they face a classic Liga MX opponent in Cruz Azul, who have been regular contenders for several seasons and are guided by Nicolás Larcamón, a pragmatic coach who has an affinity for vertical football and transition play.
La Máquina have the perfect squad to execute Larcamón’s direct style and their pressing units work in unison to disrupt the opposition and make space for the likes of Gabriel Fernández and Ángel Sepúlveda to run into. This CD Chivas de Guadalajara vs Cruz Azul preview highlights the intriguing tactical battle between possession-based and direct, transitional football.
First leg should be a close matchup
Fernández is a lethal finisher with multiple braces and goals in high-pressure situations this season, while Sepúlveda has shown consistent form, scoring seven goals in total in the league this season. They have the creative spark in midfield with José Paradela, who has led the team in assists and shown his eye for set-pieces.
Chivas have Efraín Álvarez and Roberto Alvarado to provide that creative link between midfield and attack, while Raúl Rangel has been calm in goal for the hosts, keeping several shutouts in a run of three wins.
Cruz Azul come into the matchup with a slight edge in the head-to-head with Chivas, having won three of the last four meetings in Liga MX. The last two were both tight affairs, with our CD Chivas de Guadalajara vs Cruz Azul prediction showing La Máquina winning 1 - 0 in Guadalajara and 2 - 1 in the reverse fixture.
Best value to be found in the draw?
There is a great contrast in the playing styles of these two sides, with Chivas retaining the ball and looking for central overloads before attacking vertically and Cruz Azul looking to counter attack quickly and take advantage of the space.
The bookmakers have priced up Cruz Azul as slight favourites, at 2.82, with La Bicolor available at 2.43 and the draw at 3.2. The visitors have not been playing their best soccer in recent weeks and will be without first-choice goalkeeper Kevin Mier, who suffered a tibia fracture, while Chivas are riding a wave of confidence and playing their best football at home.
Both Teams To Score is priced at 2.06 and will land in this clash, which should be close and competitive, with both sides finding the net. The CD Chivas de Guadalajara vs Cruz Azul prediction for this clash leans towards a 1 - 1 draw as the correct score for the first leg of this Liguilla tie, while a one-goal victory for either side wouldn’t be surprising, with an ever so slight preference for La Máquina. Considering the odds and recent form, the CD Chivas de Guadalajara vs Cruz Azul betting tips suggest playing the draw market for best value.
For those looking ahead, the CD Chivas de Guadalajara vs Cruz Azul prediction in the second leg will depend greatly on the outcome of this fiercely contested opener.
