The reason why ‘Chuy’ Corona hasn’t returned to his starting role in Cruz Azul
Sebastián Jurado has been the starting goalkeeper.
One of the biggest surprises in Cruz Azul this season has been the long absence that José de Jesús Corona has taken after he got injured during the warmups on La Máquina’s visit to CF Montréal for the second leg of the quarterfinals in the CONCACAF Champions League.
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Prior to that, Juan Reynoso had decided to bench him once, in the game against Club Puebla to give him some rest, as La Máquina had one of the tightest schedules in the season given their participation in the two tournaments. In his place, Sebastián Jurado made his debut in Clausura 2022.
Since then, Jurado has become the starting goalkeeper, playing seven games in Liga MX and three in CONCACAF Champions League, as they were eliminated by Pumas in the semifinals, with a goal for Los Universitarios where he was involved.
Jurado had a breakout season with Veracruz in 2019 that earned him a contract with La Máquina, the lack of regularity has been a protagonist in his performances, as he’s been involved in several mistakes that costed Cruz Azul several points.
Is “Chuy” Corona ready to return?
Although the injury that Corona suffered had to be taken day by day, as it could have deepened if not taken with proper care, according to reports from TUDN, “Chuy” Corona was fully recovered for the game against Club América.
It was a coaching decision to leave him out of the starting XI on the last game of the regular season, in part to prevent a setback but also because Juan Reynoso is trying to give Sebastián Jurado more time to regain his confidence.
Jurado is emerging as the next goalkeeper for La Máquina, especially since “Chuy” Corona is already 41 and on the last part of his career. On the contrary, Jurado is 24 and with the right accompaniment, he can become the starter for the next decade.
Will Corona leave Cruz Azul?
The Mexican goalkeeper is on the last six months of his contract with Cruz Azul and hasn’t started to negotiate a contract extension. According to reports, he’s seriously considering retiring once his contract expires.
