Cruz Azul… You can’t fail!

Destiny or chance. Whatever it was, life and football have placed Cruz Azul where they surely always dreamed of being. And I don’t just mean a new final. But a new final against América. At the Estadio Azteca (as the visiting team) and on May 26.

In Mexican football, there are dates that will simply remain in every fan’s memory, and it is precisely a May 26th that takes us back to one of the most epic matches in the history of Mexican soccer.

Cruz Azul, known for its “cruzazuleadas” after losing 4 finals consecutively, was 2 minutes away from finally lifting a trophy. And they were doing it in the home of their hated rival. The curse was going to end in the best possible way! But the story changed in 4 minutes. In the 88th and 92nd minutes, América tied the game and sent the final into extra time. The rest is history. It happened again.

There isn’t a Cruz Azul fan who doesn’t have that final etched in their memory – for worse. A decade has passed and every year, May 26th is remembered. As if it were a historic date, it always comes up to remind América of that glorious night and Cruz Azul of that tragic experience.

But the beautiful thing about this sport is that it always offers second chances. Sometimes immediately and other times it takes a bit longer to grant them.

What more could you ask for, Cruz Azul? The date that has haunted and tormented you has given you a second chance. Because the América fans never tire of chanting “I swear you’ll never get over May 26th.” And you, only you, can silence them.

The fans are with you like they haven’t been in a long time. And the famous ninth championship came when we were just coming out of a pandemic and you couldn’t fully enjoy it, as attendance at the stadium was controlled.

Today people don’t even know where to find more ‘charms’, ‘rituals’ or ‘signs’ to believe that this is the one. Julieta Venegas’ song, the unfortunate death of the boy Jose Armando, who from heaven will want to be the first to celebrate with you. The number 33 and all the combinations that have been sought to make everything “align” and add to the positive vibes.

Twenty-three long years passed for you to break the title drought. Six consecutive finals lost. Do you remember what it was like? Well, a third consecutive defeat in finals against your archrival might be even worse.

Anselmi, your coach, has handled the media extraordinarily well. Sober in the good times and measured in the not-so-good times they’ve faced.

However, yesterday he mentioned that this final is not a “rematch” and that each final has its own story. I think he’s mistaken with that statement, though I can understand that it might be a strategy to take the pressure and responsibility off his players.

I genuinely believe that, in a short time, Anselmi already knows what those finals have meant to the fans. And that for them, this is not just another final. For them, this is the final they have been waiting for so long. For them, there is no tomorrow and so many years of América’s taunts can end this weekend. If Cruz Azul doesn’t carry the burden of Castro’s own goal, Teofilo’s miss, Corona’s error in 2018, Edson’s double, and all those dark memories, they probably won’t be able to end this bad history.

For Cruz Azul, this is not just another final, Martín. For Cruz Azul, this is THE FINAL. Because since 1971, they haven’t won a championship against their hated rival. It’s been more than 50 years carrying that weight and you, Martín, can inscribe your name in golden letters in the history of the cement club if you manage to change the negative trend.

And things are different at Cruz Azul. At Cruz Azul, you can be a champion and the next day be last in the standings. At Cruz Azul, you can put together a great squad and the next season be full of foreigners who only came due to agents’ deals. Well, at Cruz Azul you can be a legend like Ricardo Ferretti and last just 3 matches.

It’s strange, it’s a different club. One that has suffered a lot, and for that reason, when they can celebrate, they enjoy it like no one else.

Your time has come, Cruz Azul. Your moment has arrived. And this time, you can’t fail them.

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