LIGA MX
Jesús Dueñas slams Cruz Azul about his uncertain future: “Where are my rights as a professional player?”
‘El Pollo’ was brought in as a reinforcement for the Apertura 2023 but barely played 81 minutes during the tournament.
While Cruz Azul continues to strengthen its ranks for the Clausura 2024, it still has a lot of work to do with some of the surplus players who are still on the roster, such as Jesús Dueñas. A highly experienced midfielder and five-time Liga MX winner, Dueñas took to social media to vent his anger about how he has been treated by the club and how he has been given no indication of where he stands by new coach Martín Anselmi. The 34-year-old says the club should respect his “professional rights as a player”.
Future up in the air
Dueñas wrote on his Instagram profile: “I have spent 27 days separated from the first team squad. In theory, on the 11 December, my employment situation was resolved. Without pre-season, without being able to train with the first team and using the Under-23s dressing room. I have had no explanation, no response with no certainty about my future. Where are my rights as a professional player?“
‘El Pollo’ joined Cruz Azul from Juárez in July on the express wishes of coach Ricardo Ferretti to strengthen the squad for the 2023 Apertura. However, when Ferretti left the post following the team’s Leagues Cup elimination at the beginning of August, everything changed. The team was locked at the foot of the table and the incoming coach was never going to suddenly start counting on a player who had up until then been relatively inactive.
Dueñas made a total of just six appearances (totalling 81 minutes on-field) - all of which as a substitute. During the entire Apertura 2023, the longest he spent on the pitch was a second half appearance against Santos Laguna in Week 2. Against Tigres and Leon he was brought on for the final minute and he participated in a couple of games with the Under-23s.