Cruz Azul furious as Liga MX rejects request to remove referee from Clausura 2026 final

Cruz Azul was unhappy with the appointment of referee Daniel Quintero Huitrón for the second leg of the Liga MX Clausura 2026 final against Pumas and appealed the decision before the Mexican Football Federation’s Refereeing Commission. The governing body, however, has already responded with a firm rejection of the club’s request.

According to information from TUDN reporter Adrián Esparza Oteo, the Refereeing Commission denied Cruz Azul’s petition to replace the official for the return leg at Estadio Olímpico Universitario. The organization also made it clear that clubs have no influence over referee appointments.

Why Cruz Azul did not want Quintero in charge

After learning that Quintero Huitrón would oversee the second leg, La Máquina requested a change of referee because they believed his handling of their Matchday 11 clash against Pumas left plenty to be desired. Several decisions during that game were viewed by Cruz Azul as highly controversial.

That frustration ultimately pushed the club to file its appeal with the FMF, but the request went nowhere. The appointment will remain unchanged, meaning Cruz Azul will have to deal with the situation when the teams meet again at Ciudad Universitaria.

Efraín Juárez’s controversial exchange with the referee

The controversy surrounding Quintero Huitrón did not stop with his officiating decisions. It also involved Pumas manager Efraín Juárez, who was seen congratulating the referee after the semifinal against Pachuca. TUDN cameras captured the moment Juárez approached the official following the game.

Asked about the incident during Liga MX media day, Juárez defended himself sarcastically, saying he did not realize congratulating someone for doing their job was considered wrong. He added that perhaps next time he should insult the referee instead.

“As for the referees, I was away from my country for a long time and came back a year ago, and apparently it’s wrong to congratulate someone for doing their job. Next time I guess I’ll have to insult him and yell at him. Maybe then everyone will be happy and there won’t be any problem,” Juárez said.

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