Tigres vs Cruz Azulpredicted line-ups, prediction and how to watch

Predicted line-ups, prediction and how to watch for Tigres vs Cruz Azul: everything you need to know before the game.

Tigres UANL host Cruz Azul on Saturday 7 November, kicking off at 19:00 Mexico City time at the Estadio Universitario, in matchday 16 of the Apertura 2026.

The hosts sit 15th on 15 points and are already out of the Liguilla race. La Máquina are third on 29 points and chasing top spot.

Match preview

Tigres will finish the Apertura without a play-off place. They have three wins, six draws and six defeats from 15 games, with 15 goals scored and 22 conceded.

Recent form is poor, with one win, two draws and two defeats from the last five. They lost 3-0 at Pachuca on 31 October, drew 1-1 with Pumas, lost 2-0 at home to Leon, drew 1-1 with Chivas and beat Toluca 3-2 on 10 October. Across that run, they scored five and conceded nine.

Things look healthier at home. The Volcan has seen three wins, two draws and one defeat, with nine goals scored and seven conceded. Juan Brunetta leads the attack with eight goals.

Cruz Azul arrive in the opposite mood. They are third on 29 points, built on nine wins, two draws and four defeats, with 34 goals scored and 24 conceded. That points tally matches America and Chivas.

They have won four in a row: 2-1 against Leon, 3-1 at Queretaro, 2-1 at Pachuca and 5-0 against Juarez. Before that, they drew 3-3 with Pumas. Over those five games, they have scored 15 and conceded six.

On the road, the Celestes have four wins, one draw and two defeats, scoring 15 and conceding 11. Nicolas Ibanez and Gabriel Fernandez have five goals each.

The recent head-to-head favours Cruz Azul. They won 2-1 in Liga MX in February 2026 and 1-0 in the Concacaf Champions Cup in May 2025. The other three meetings finished 1-1: two in December 2025 and one in October 2025.

Tigres have not beaten Cruz Azul in those five meetings. Victor Manuel Vucetich may also rotate to give minutes to young players because of the under-age minutes rule.

The context splits the objectives. Tigres want to say goodbye to their fans with a good result. Cruz Azul need points to stay in the race for first place overall, with one round left after this one.

Team news

Tigres will be without Alan Franco, who is suspended after his red card at Pachuca. Romulo Zwarg and Joaquim Pereira returned to full training after shaking off knocks and could come back into the squad. Marcelo Flores, Francisco Reyes and Jesus Angulo remain in recovery, while Marco Farfan has a muscle problem.

Cruz Azul have two confirmed absentees in Amaury Morales, who has a cruciate ligament injury, and Mateo Levy. Willer Ditta, who had a fracture in a toe, is available according to his coach.

The line-ups below are probable and unconfirmed. Local reports point to Guzman; Contreras, Loroña, Guerrero and Mauro Lainez; Simeone, Araujo, Gorriaran and Brunetta; Emiliano Gomez and Guillermo Martinez for Tigres. Cruz Azul could use a 5-4-1 with Mier in goal and Fernandez as the focal point.

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