They wanted Marcelo Bielsa to replace Juan Reynoso in Cruz Azul and instead they will have a stranger

After the back-to-back disappointments that Cruz Azul had last weekend, first the scoreless draw against Pumas that got them eliminated on the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League thanks to the 2-1 aggregate, and then the 1-0 defeat against Chivas in Liga MX, things are not looking good for Juan Reynoso.

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The new coach that will replace Juan Reynoso in Cruz Azul

It’s true that Cruz Azul’s schedule has been one of the tightest for any Liga MX team, added to the fact that they have lost key players due to injuries or early departures, like Carlos “Charly” Rodríguez, who will miss the remainder of the season, or Brayan Angulo, who was Reynoso’s go-to striker.

But Jaime Ordiales, Cruz Azul’s sporting director, knows that the roster was built to fight for both tournaments, and given the enmity that exists between the two of them, Ordiales has demanded that Cruz Azul wins a title this semester for Reynoso to keep his job.

And now that La Máquina only has Liga MX to achieve it, Ordiales has started looking for potential replacements for Reynoso. Among the names of the coaches that Cruz Azul followers have asked for are Marcelo Bielsa and Matías Almeyda.

Their new coach will arrive from South America

Now that Matías Almeyda has parted ways with MLS side San Jose Earthquakes, he’s one of the strongest candidates to arrive in La Máquina’s dugout, especially since Ordiales already tried to sign him, although Cruz Azul preferred to have Juan Reynoso as their coach.

But Ordiales is looking for a different coach, someone that can establish a long-term project that starts from the academy squads and goes all the way up to the first team, which is why he’s focused on signing Renato Paiva, who currently is coaching Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle.

The Portuguese coach arrived at Independiente in 2021, and in just one year he already won his first title with El Negriazul. His coaching system is deeply rooted in the academy teams, as he was part of the formation of young players in SL Benfica from 2004 until 2020.

How much will Cruz Azul have to pay to sign him?

Renato Paiva is under contract with IDV until the end of 2022, although Cruz Azul could sign him if they pay the release clause on his contract, that according to reports is set at $1 million, a sum affordable for La Máquina.

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Juan Reynoso insists on benching Santiago Giménez in Cruz Azul