Cruz Azul prepare for Kevin Mier’s possible departure

Cruz Azul is feeling the championship buzz. On Monday, the club officially introduced Nicolás Larcamón as their new head coach for the upcoming 2025 Apertura season.

La Máquina has come painfully close to lifting the Liga MX trophy in recent campaigns, with América consistently standing in their way. But their recent triumph in the CONCACAF Champions Cup sent a clear message: this team has what it takes to finally bring home a domestic title.

Reinforcements in sight

Cruz Azul has its sights set on two key players to bolster its roster: striker Luka Jovic and goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo. The Serbian forward, who spent three seasons at Real Madrid, is seen as a critical addition to sharpen the team’s attack and maintain high internal competition—an edge that’s been vital in high-pressure moments.

Meanwhile, Acevedo’s name is being floated as a potential replacement in goal, should Colombian international Kevin Mier depart. Mier, who recently took over as Colombia’s starting keeper during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, has drawn significant attention with his performances—leaving a possible vacancy the club is eager to fill decisively.

Cruz Azul sporting director Iván Alonso weighed in on the club’s transfer ambitions, saying, “As the president mentioned, these are two players with tremendous potential and pedigree. One has already proven himself in Liga MX, and the other brings international experience and global recognition. We’re definitely interested in both players - but they’re not the only ones we’re looking at. We’re continuing to assess and build a squad ready to compete on three fronts.”

Larcamón preparing for the new campaign

The team is already getting down to business under new head coach Nicolás Larcamón. Preseason training kicked off Monday, and the players have a busy June lined up as they ramp up preparations for the Apertura 2025.

From June 20–22, La Máquina will take part in a four-team tournament in Morelos featuring León, Chivas de Guadalajara, and Atlante. Then, from June 27–29, they’ll compete in the Copa Bienestar in Zacatecas, facing off against Mineros, Chivas once again, and Santos Laguna.

Cruz Azul’s busy preseason calendar keeps expanding. The Concachampions titleholders are now set to head to Veracruz, where they’ll compete in another four-team tournament at the newly renovated Estadio Luis “Pirata” Fuente from July 1–6 (EST). This time, they’ll square off against Newell’s Old Boys from Argentina, Colombia’s Once Caldas, and Liga MX’s Mazatlán.

It’s clear the demand is high for La Máquina ahead of the Apertura 2025—proof that their international success has only heightened their profile. These matchups will give the new coach yet another stage to fine-tune his squad before the serious grind begins.

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