After a forgettable end to 2020, Cruz Azul had to reorganize immediately, with a view to the Guard1anes Clausura 2021.
First, Juan Reynoso was appointed as the new technical director. Reynoso, as a player, was part of the Cementero squad that had won the league title in Invierno 97'. Álvaro Dávila, who served as the club's executive president, also arrived at the club. Dávila was the one who chose to take Reynoso as technical director.
Cruz Azul made its debut in that tournament, losing 1-0 to Santos Laguna. On matchday two, they lost again, this time at home, 1-0 to Puebla.
It was on the third matchday when the light blue team would get their first points of the tournament, beating Pachuca Tuzos, 0-1 at home. From that point on, everything took a positive turn for Cruz Azul.
That win was the first in a streak of twelve consecutive victories for the team. This is a Liga MX record (which it shares with León in the Clausura 2019). The streak ended until matchday 15, when Cruz Azul drew 1-1 against América.
Despite not being able to extend their amazing winning streak any further, La Máquina managed not to fall again in the regular phase, thus reaching the Liguilla with 15 matches without defeat, also being the tournament's super leader with 41 points in 17 matches, for an effectiveness of 80%. This represents another Mexican soccer record (which is also shared with the aforementioned León in the Clausura 2019).
Prior to the start of the Liga MX Final Phase, Cruz Azul was also active in the CONCACAF Champions League 2021. In the Round of 16, they had already beaten Arcahaie FC of Haiti 8-0 on aggregate (0-0 in the first leg and 8-0 in the second leg), and in the Quarterfinals, they eliminated Toronto FC of Canada 4-1 on aggregate (1-3 in the first leg and 1-0 in the second leg).
In the quarterfinals of the Guard1anes Clausura 2021, their opponent would be the Diablos Rojos del Toluca. The first leg at the Nemesio Diez Stadium represented La Máquina's first defeat in almost four months, losing 2-1 and forcing the Celestes to come back in the second leg at the Azteca. And so it happened; with goals from Bryan Angulo, 'Cabecita' Rodríguez and 'Santi' Giménez, Cruz Azul won 3-1, for a 4-3 aggregate victory, which gave them a place in the semifinals.
They would face Pachuca in the semifinals. The first leg at the Hidalgo Stadium ended scoreless. In the second leg, Cruz Azul played a great match, stopping the 'Tuzos' attack and winning the match with a solitary goal by Santiago Giménez, to reach the final of the Guard1anes Clausura 2021.
The Grand Final would be between Cruz Azul and Santos Laguna. The first leg would be played at Corona Stadium in Torreón. In the first leg, the Laguna team was slightly superior to the light blue team, but, as in several matches during the tournament, the Azul defense looked solid and kept a clean sheet, while on offense, an excellent individual play by Luis Romo ended with the 0-1 score for the light blue team, the definitive score in that match.
The second leg was played at the Azteca Stadium. Santos, needing to equalize the aggregate, took the initiative in the match. In the first half, Cruz Azul tried to maintain the advantage they had obtained in the first leg. However, they failed to do so and, at minute 37, Los Laguneros opened the scoring through Diego Valdés, thus equalizing the aggregate at 1:1.
In the second half, Cruz Azul came out with a more offensive attitude. Their reward came at 51' when a counter-attack culminated in Yoshimar Yotún assisting Jonathan Rodríguez, for the 'Cabecita' to tie the score 1-1 and give La Máquina the advantage on aggregate (2-1). From that point on, the match went back and forth, with Santos trying to create dangerous plays and Cruz Azul counterattacking, trying to finish off the tie. Despite this, the scoreboard did not move any further.
Thus, after 23 and a half years, Cruz Azul was once again crowned champion of Liga MX. This was the ninth league title for the Cementero team.
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