Winless Cruz Azul looks to shock in Leagues Cup, Julio Furch departs Liga MX

A lot of eyes will be on Cruz Azul as the Liga MX club visits Inter Miami CF in the Leagues Cup kickoff game, featuring the potential debuts of Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets on Friday night.

While a Tuca Ferretti-led team should provide a spectacle, the club arrives winless through its first three matches of the Apertura 2023 season. They welcome back Gold Cup champions Uriel Antuna and Charly Rodriguez so La Maquina's attack should be chugging along a bit smoother as the game has all the makings of a special atmosphere.

Chivas, on the other hand, couldn't be arriving in a better place. They're a perfect 3-0-0 with some young debutants shining and they'll add major signing Erick Guitierrez, welcome back Roberto Alvarado and potentially see the return of Alexis Vega. Add to that a coach with MLS experience in Velkjo Paunovic and you have a team that should be among the favorites to win it all.

Club America, after having a week off due to a postponed match, look as good as ever with new signings Kevin Alvarez and Julian Quiñones scoring their first goals with the club. Granted, it was against Puebla, but Jardine's squad has the potential to go on a tear with the talent on this squad.

The two Regio teams, Tigres and Monterrey, also arrive with a win. They have two of the most expensive rosters in the continent; it'll be hard to bet against them, and will make for exciting matches considering the MLS clubs they were drawn with.

FC Juarez has looked impressive after getting another shocking win. With a 4-2 win at Toluca, could we be looking at a dark horse team?

Atlas has a lot of question marks with its recent departures. After selling Quiñones to America, now it looks like Ozziel Herrera may be on the move. Then, one of the best Liga MX forwards, Julio Furch, bid farewell this week in a friendly against sister club Sporting Gijon.

Furch scored 23 goals in 77 games and helped Atlas to back-to-back league titles, ending a 70-year drought in the process. He won another league championship at fellow Orlegi Sports club Santos Laguna and a Copa MX title with now-dissolved Veracruz.

Necaxa, owned in part by U.S. investors, celebrated its upcoming 100th anniversary with a friendly against Athletic Bilbao. It was not a celebratory result for one of the teams currently struggling but it was a night filled with legends and a special edition kit that looked impeccable.

As the league pauses for one month due to the 2023 Leagues Cup, here's a refresher on how everything stands after three weeks:

Match results

• Santos Laguna 0, Atlas FC 0
• Guadalajara 2, Necaxa 0
• Mazatlan 0, Monterrey 3
• Tijuana 2, Cruz Azul 1
• San Luis 4, Queretaro 1
• Club America 3, Puebla 0
• Tigres UANL 1, Leon 0
• Toluca 2, Juarez 4
• Pachuca 1, Pumas UNAM 1

The standings

1. Guadalajara - 9 pts.
2. Monterrey - 7 pts.
3. Juarez - 7 pts.
4. Pumas - 5 pts.
5. Tigres - 5 pts.
6. Tijuana - 4 pts.
7. San Luis - 4 pts.
8. Atlas - 4 pts.
9. Toluca - 4 pts.
10. Santos - 4 pts.
11. Leon - 3 pts.
12. America - 3 pts.
13. Queretaro - 3 pts.
14. Pachuca - 2 pts.
15. Necaxa - 2 pts.
16. Mazatlan - 2 pts.
17. Puebla - 1 pt.
18. Cruz Azul - 0 pts.

Surprise of the Week

FC Juarez again delivered another stunner with a 4-2 romp at Toluca. Put that together with a 2-1 comeback victory over Club America in Jornada 1, and a draw at home with defending champions Tigres UANL, and you have quite the season building on the other side of El Paso under young Mexican coach Diego Mejía.

Goal of the Week

Former Real Salt Lake Academy player Sebastian Saucedo displayed great technique in the big Juarez win at Toluca. Check out his shot which was one of the goals of the week.

Number of the Week: 20

Through Jornada 3, a total of 20 players have made their Liga MX debuts. Among the youngest is 17-year-old Yael Padilla, who has picked up two goals for Guadalajara. The oldest to debut was 27-year-old goalkeeper Ramon Pasquel, subbing on for FC Juarez as veteran Alfredo Talavera exited with a concussion. The full list can be found here.

Quote of the Week

Reporter: "Do you like Luis Chavez?"

Tano Ortiz: "I like women, not Luis Chavez."

The Monterrey coach was asked about the Mexico national team and Pachuca midfielder amid reports that Chavez could be on the move to big-spending Rayados. 

"Luis, today, belongs to Pachuca," he went on to elaborate. "I trust in the leadership that is moving on the subject of reinforcements."

What we’re looking forward to this week

The Leagues Cup is here! Liga MX, like MLS, will pause for one month as all teams from both leagues will get together with a trophy on the line.

Cruz Azul will play in the opening match as Lionel Messi debuts with InterMiami CF. Here's what awaits Mexican teams in the group stage. All matches will be broadcast on Apple TV with an MLS Season Pass subscription unless marked as Free. Select matches will air on Univision, TUDN and FS1.

Friday, July 21

• 8 p.m. ET - Inter Miami vs. Cruz Azul (Univision, TUDN)
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Austin FC vs. Mazatlan FC
• 10:30 p.m. ET - Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Leon (Free)

Saturday, July 22

• 7:30 p.m. ET - CF Montreal vs. Pumas UNAM
• 8 p.m. ET - Philadelphia Union vs. Tijuana (Univision, FS1)

Sunday, July 23

• 7 p.m. ET - New York City FC vs. Atlas (Free, UniMas, FS1)
• 9 p.m. ET - Minnesota United vs. Puebla (Free, UniMas, FS1)

Tuesday, July 25

• 8:30 p.m. ET - Houston Dynamo vs. Santos Laguna (Free, UniMas, FS1)
• 9:30 p.m. ET - FC Dallas vs. Necaxa
• 9:30 p.m. ET - Mazatlan FC vs. FC Juarez (Free)
• 10:30 p.m. ET - LA Galaxy vs. Leon (Free, FS1)

Wednesday, July 26

• 7:30 p.m. ET - New England Revolution vs. Atletico San Luis (Free)
• 7:30 p.m. ET - Philadelphia Union vs. Queretaro
• 9:30 p.m. ET - Real Salt Lake vs. Monterrey
• 11 p.m. ET - Portland Timbers vs. Tigres UANL (Free, UniMas, FS1)

Thursday, July 27

• 8 p.m. ET - FC Cincinnati vs. Guadalajara
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Nashville SC vs. Toluca
• 10 p.m. ET - St. Louis City vs. Club America (Free, UniMas, FS1)

Saturday, July 29

• 7 p.m. ET - Atlanta United vs. Cruz Azul (Free, Univision)
• 7:30 p.m. ET - Charlotte FC vs. Necaxa
• 7:30 p.m. ET - Orlando City vs. Santos Laguna
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Austin FC vs. FC Juarez (Free)
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Pumas UNAM vs. D.C. United (Free, Univision)

Sunday, July 30

• 7:30 p.m. ET - NY Red Bulls vs. Atletico San Luis (Free)
• 7:30 p.m. ET - Tijuana vs. Queretaro
• 9 p.m. ET - Seattle Sounders vs. Monterrey (Free, UniMas, FS1)
• 11 p.m. ET - San Jose Earthquakes vs. Tigres UANL

Monday, July 31

• 8 p.m. ET - Columbus Crew vs. Club America
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Chicago Fire vs. Puebla
• 9:30 p.m. ET - Colorado Rapids vs. Toluca (Free)
• 10 p.m. ET - Sporting KC vs. Guadalajara (Free, UniMas, FS1)