Guido Pizarro Predicts a Tight Semifinal Clash Between Tigres and Cruz Azul

The Apertura 2025 semifinals kick off this Wednesday, December 3, with a high-stakes matchup at El Volcán: Tigres vs. Cruz Azul. The duel arrives with a rich history of Liguilla battles, memories of past finals, and a sense of balance that promises a razor-tight series. Tigres manager Guido Pizarro believes the clash will be extremely even, especially after his team’s dramatic comeback against Xolos.

Tigres returned to El Volcán last weekend trailing 0–3 after the first leg in Tijuana, but produced one of the most memorable turnarounds in tournament history to secure their place in the semifinals. Now they will host the first leg at home and close the series on the road. For Pizarro, the key over the 180 minutes will be precision, discipline, and the smallest details.

Riding the emotional wave of eliminating Xolos, Pizarro is excited to see his team compete at the level they showed during the comeback — a performance he described as a source of immense pride.

“Sincerely, it excites me a lot to see my players the way I saw them the other day, to see our fans like I did the other day — it fills me with pride. My hope is that we continue competing and keep moving forward,” Pizarro said.

The Tigres coach knows that one mistake could change the entire direction of the series. The first leg vs. Xolos was a harsh reminder: a moment of disconnect nearly ended their Liguilla run. That lesson shapes his message going into this matchup.

“The level of the players has evolved, but mistakes at this stage are costly. We have to minimize the details and trust the players we have to play a great series and advance,” he emphasized.

Tigres arrive with momentum; Cruz Azul arrive with stability. Everything suggests a semifinal that will be intense, tactical, and fiercely contested from start to finish.

For Guido Pizarro, the formula is simple: maintain intensity, match the effort from the comeback against Xolos, and avoid the lapses that could derail the dream of reaching another final.