In the Apertura 2025 tournament, Tigres and Cruz Azul square off in the semifinal series, with only one earning the right to play for the championship. But this isn’t the first time these two have crossed paths in Liga MX’s postseason – and history shows that when they meet at this stage, a clear winner is rare.
They’ve faced each other four times in the postseason, and most of those encounters ended in ties during regulation. Under Liga MX rules, when aggregate scores are level, the team with the higher regular-season finish advances. That detail has often tipped the scales.
Tigres’ tie triumphs over Cruz Azul
The first clash came in the Invierno 2001 semifinals, where Tigres and Cruz Azul drew 1-1 on aggregate. Tigres moved on thanks to their top spot in the regular-season table – they were the tournament leaders that year.
Their second meeting was in the Apertura 2003 quarterfinals. Once again, the series ended in a deadlock, 2-2 on aggregate, and once again Tigres advanced as the No. 1 seed.
Juan Pablo Vigon celebrates his goal 5-0 of Tigres during the quarter-final second match between Tigres UANL and Tijuana as part of the Liga BBVA MX, Torneo Apertura 2025 at Universitario Stadium, on November 29, 2025 in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.Jorge Martinez
After that, it took nearly two decades for the rivalry to resurface in the playoffs. In the Apertura 2020 quarterfinals, Cruz Azul finally broke the pattern, edging Tigres 3-2 on aggregate – the only time this matchup produced a winner in regulation – and booked their ticket to the semis.
The most recent showdown came in the Clausura 2022 quarterfinals. The series finished 1-1, and Tigres, sitting second in the table, advanced over Los Cementeros.
Now, in Apertura 2025, the stage is set for another chapter. If history repeats and the series ends in a tie, Tigres would move on once more, holding the No. 2 seed – just one point ahead of Cruz Azul.
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