Santos Laguna held their final training session this morning at Territorio Santos Modelo before facing Cruz Azul in a match corresponding to Matchday 7 of the Apertura 2026 Tournament.
The match against La Máquina will take place this Sunday at 5:00 PM at the Banorte Stadium.
The team, led by Renato Paiva, worked intensively throughout the week at their headquarters, focusing on various aspects of their game plan to arrive in optimal condition for this Sunday’s match.
It is worth noting that this week, Santos officially introduced their two new reinforcements, Esteban Lozano and Facundo Cáseres, who have already begun their integration process with the squad.
Lozano, a 23-year-old forward, was developed in the youth academy of Club América, where he debuted in Liga MX in 2023. He later gained experience in Spanish football with Sporting Atlético, a subsidiary of Real Sporting de Gijón, and also played with the First Team in the Second Division and the Copa del Rey.
Subsequently, he represented Puebla FC in the Apertura 2025 and Clausura 2026 Tournaments before returning to Club América. Internationally, he has been part of Mexico’s National Team processes at youth levels, including the U-20 and U-23 teams.
On the other hand, Facundo Cáseres, an Argentine midfielder born on May 28, 2001, in Santa Fe, Argentina, developed his skills at Vélez Sarsfield, where he made his professional debut in 2020. The new Guerrero continued his career in Europe with NK Istra 1961 in Croatia and later with SC Farense and Gil Vicente in Portugal, both in the top tier of Portuguese football.
During the 2025-2026 season, Cáseres established himself as one of the most consistent midfielders for Gil Vicente, participating in 29 league matches, 27 of them as a starter, accumulating over 2,100 minutes of play.
YOUTH ACADEMY ACTIVITY IN MEXICO CITY
Santos Laguna’s activity in the capital also includes their youth academy categories.
Santos Laguna U-21 will head into this match after defeating Tigres 1-0 at Territorio Santos Modelo, a result that allowed them to reach 11 points and remain in the qualifying positions of the Apertura 2026 Tournament. The team, led by Carlos Arturo Cruz, will look to extend their good form when they visit Cruz Azul U-21 this Sunday at 9:00 AM at La Noria facilities.
Meanwhile, the U-19 Guerreros have eight points and remain in contention for the qualifying spots. The team, coached by Jorge Campos, will face Cruz Azul U-19 also this Sunday at 11:30 AM at La Noria, following their most recent match against Tigres at TSM.