Cruz Azul on alert due to Toro Fernández's injury

Alberto Aceves

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, May 4, 2025, p. a11

Gabriel Fernández spent more than eight months out of the game. In February of last year, the Cruz Azul forward suffered a torn cruciate ligament in a play that left him severely affected by the poor condition of the turf at the Ciudad de los Deportes stadium. That precedent is causing concern for La Máquina's medical team. El Toro was injured on Thursday in the second leg of the CONCACAF Cup semifinal against Tigres. The initial diagnosis ruled out the same severity, but confirmed a strain of the medial collateral ligament in the same area.

The recovery period will depend on the results of the MRI, so Fernández, a player for whom Cruz Azul paid Pumas around $11 million in 2023—according to the specialized site Transfermarkt—could miss the Liga MX quarterfinals (against León) and the decisive match of the regional tournament in June (against the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer). "There's still a long way to go; we're going to talk to the medical team to see how serious the situation is. We hope El Toro gets better as the days go by," said coach Vicente Sánchez regarding the Uruguayan's physical condition.

Just like last year during Atlético de San Luis's visit, Fernández left the match against Tigres after trying to stop a Tigres advance near midfield. His compatriot Fernando Gorriarán entered the fight for the ball in a better position, and the La Máquina forward, suffering from a sore right knee, got the worst of it. His departure was marked by gestures of pain, hands on his face, and support from his teammates on the bench.

It's important for (Fernández) not to see what he's missing, but to think that today is one less day to return even better. It's not what he'll miss, but what he'll be able to play , says the Celeste team's physical trainer, Rubens Valenzuela, who has been leading the recovery and conditioning work at La Noria since January. The mental aspect is crucial for a good recovery/rehabilitation. With passion, effort, dedication, and hope, anything can be achieved. Perseverance always has its rewards .

While doctors determine the recovery time, the rest of La Máquina's squad is preparing for the Liga quarterfinals. On Wednesday, they will face León at the former Nou Camp, and on Saturday, with the advantage of being the third-place team in the competition, they will close out the series at the Olympic Stadium at Ciudad Universitaria. On the international front, CONCACAF announced that the Champions Cup final will be played on June 1st in a single match against the Vancouver Whitecaps at the home of Celeste.

They've put a thousand obstacles in our way and a thousand goals to overcome , recalls the club's physical education graduate. "It's not just any of us who have met our expectations, but each and every player has. What we do is important, but how we do it will be decisive ." Coach Vicente Sánchez and his team will return to training this Monday at La Noria.

From the Editorial Staff and AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Sunday, May 4, 2025, p. a11

Julián Araujo and Bournemouth pulled off a surprise victory. The Mexican started their visit to London's Emirates Stadium and helped his team beat Arsenal 2-1 on Matchday 35 of the English Premier League. This was his second match in action after an injury that kept him out for five months.

The Gunners took the lead with Declan Rice's goal in the first half which they dominated from start to finish (34), but Bournemouth's reaction, first with Dean Huijsen's equaliser (67) and then thanks to Francisco Evanilson de Lima's 2-1 (75), sealed one of the most unexpected results of the weekend.

Araujo played 65 minutes, making effective defensive interventions on the right flank, before being replaced by Alex Scott.

Arsenal remained in second place in the table with 67 points, while their rivals climbed to eighth place with 53.

Meanwhile, Raúl Jiménez's Fulham side lost 1-0 to Aston Villa, effectively eliminating them from qualifying for the following season's UEFA Champions League. The Mexican played the full 90 minutes.

Barça remains the leader

Although under more pressure than expected, Barcelona achieved a dual objective in their visit to bottom-placed and already relegated Valladolid: they won 2-1 to keep Real Madrid at bay at the top of the Spanish league and kept their key players in check ahead of the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals.

After their match on Matchday 34 of the tournament, the Blaugranas now have a seven-point lead over the Whites (79 to 72), who host Celta today, before next week's derby at Montjuic, which will almost be a title final.

The night in Pucela was no walk in the park for Barça. Their goalkeeper, Marc-André Ter Stegen, back in the starting lineup after 222 days out with a serious injury to his right knee, conceded a goal with the first shot he faced from Iván Sánchez (minute 6). Raphinha equalized with a cross (54) and Fermín (60) completed the comeback.

Hours earlier, in Saturday's first match, Atlético de Madrid was held to a goalless draw at Alavés. With no real chance in the title race and qualification for the next Champions League practically assured, Atlético Madrid will end the season with no major objectives for the final four matches.