Cruz Azul coach fired: Who will replace Nicolás Larcamón?
After another game without victory, Cruz Azul chiefs have opted to dismiss Larcamón ahead of the Clausura 2026 playoffs.
Cruz Azul’s results crisis has finally triggered changes at the Liga MX club. After piling up nine consecutive matches without a win - the latest a draw against Querétaro on Tuesday - the club’s leadership, headed by Víctor Velázquez and Iván Alonso, held an emergency meeting to determine the future of the coaching staff.
It was a meeting that led to decisive action: head coach Nicolás Larcamón was relieved of his duties with just one matchday remaining in the Clausura 2026 regular season. The move came amid mounting competitive pressure and an increasingly tense internal environment.
Who’s taking over at Cruz Azul?
With matchday 17 approaching and the playoffs looming, the front office aims to steady the ship at the most critical point of the tournament, prioritizing an immediate response.
Following Larcamón’s departure, Joel Huiqui and Sergio Pinto have been selected to lead the team. Huiqui, who steps up from Cruz Azul U-21s, will take over as interim head coach, while Pinto - also a coach within the club’s youth system - will work alongside him in the decision-making process.
The club views this arrangement as a way to preserve locker-room stability. The goal is to lean on the institutional knowledge of both men in a scenario where the margin for error is virtually nonexistent.
Pinto, who came through FC Porto and has recent experience with Cruz Azul’s U-19 side, joins the technical staff as a key support figure. His work in the youth ranks has been instrumental in his integration into the club’s overall project.
Huiqui’s stint with the U-21s
Huiqui’s time with the U-21 team was not successful, as the side failed to qualify for the Clausura 2026 playoffs. Results and on-field performance never fully came together, raising questions about how La Máquina will handle this decisive stretch to close out the tournament.
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