One year ago, Cruz Azul finished the Liga MX Apertura 2023 season in 16th place, scoring only 17 points and missing out on the playoffs. A year later, La Maquina capped off the greatest 17-game regular season in Liga MX history, topping the league with a record-setting 42 points.
Martín Anselmi arrived at the start of the calendar year to revitalize a sleeping giant. During his first season, Cruz Azul finished second in the regular season and lost the final against bitter rivals Club América. Instead of dwelling on yet another lost final, Anselmi and La Máquina entered the Apertura 2024 season with a vengeance, topping the league from Matchweek 2 onwards.
