- Head-to-head: Cruz Azul have won the last 2 head-to-head meetings, including a 2-1 win over Santos Laguna as recently as six months ago.
- Home stats: Cruz Azul average 1.33 goals scored and 2.00 goals conceded per home game in Liga MX 2026/2027.
- Away woes: Santos Laguna have yet to win away in Liga MX 2026/2027, conceding 9 goals on their travels in 3 away games.
Cruz Azul’s Carlos Rodriguez making his mark
Form and stakes
Cruz Azul will play on Monday and, although they haven't exactly impressed in their first six games, this game has a little more to it for Joel Huiqui and Renato Paiva. La Máquina are 10th in the Liga MX 2026/2027 table with nine points from their opening six games while Santos Laguna sit 17th, only having one point in the bank.
However, this is also a game in which both coaches can prove a point to their own directors about the direction they want to take the project in. Huiqui's side have won two and lost three of their last five games in all competitions, most recently beating Necaxa 3-1 away from home after back-to-back defeats.
In their Their 2-1 away win at Santos Laguna in Liga MX 2025/2026 has to be a factor in the way up.
Key players
Carlos Rodriguez has been a focal point of Cruz Azul's attack this season, providing four assists in six matches and controlling the tempo when in possession. Jeremy Marquez is the main goal threat with three goals, but Huiqui's men have the edge in the locker for this one.
Santos can score but may still lose
Santos Laguna have won one, drawn one and lost three of their last five after a 3-2 defeat at Puebla was followed by a 0-0 home draw with Tigres last weekend. Eduardo Aguirre leads the Guerreros goalscoring charts with one goal in five Liga MX 2026/2027 appearances, but they have looked short on goal power in the first few months of the season.
Paiva is getting a good performance out of them and the 4-3-3 system he has employed so far is built on the ability to build from the back and control possession, with the wings the best place to look for combinations.
Huiqui's team are set up to be a threat in transition and can punish the guests if they get too many men behind the ball in midfield, but Santos can pin them back at times with their structure and possession.
- Santos Laguna's last two away games against Cruz Azul have both ended in defeat, so La Máquina will be favored by the bookmakers at 1.47, although the draw is only a little bit higher at 5.0, with the visitors 5.9.
- The gap in form between the two sides means that the visitors will have the onus to prove they can compete in this top-flight campaign, but our recommendation is to go for a home win with both teams to score.
- Over 2.5 goals at 1.41 covers the open nature of Cruz Azul's home games in Liga MX 2026/2027 and the fact that Santos Laguna are still looking for their first win away from home this season, having conceded nine goals in three away trips already this campaign.
