Nicolás Larcamón does not want dramas (off the field)
In a move that reminds us of when you check the supermarket list a thousand times so as not to forget anything, Nicolás Larcamón, the technical brain of Cruz Azul, decided to bring out the reverse psychology card just before the mame of the Apertura 2025 league begins. Basically, his message was: “Dear referees, we know you are good, but could you be very good, please?” His plea was not only for the man with the whistle, but for the entire support cast: assistants and the always controversial VAR booth. Because, let’s be honest, in these games that take years of our lives, a little mistake of those that becomes an eternal meme can cost more than a new iPhone.
The VAR, the assistants and the entire referee survival kit
With the elegance of someone who orders the last piece of pizza, Larcamón recognized that the Mexican arbitration union has quality. He said, verbatim (but with our words): “I think I identify very well the quality of refereeing in Mexico. Many of the referees who direct from weekend to weekend are very good, I have no doubts about that.” In other words, he gave them his like. But immediately afterwards, he went into demanding mode and asked that for this playoff party, they send the cream of the whistlers. His point is simple: in times where a non-existent penalty can unleash the apocalypse on social networks, it is crucial that those designated are the Michael Jordans of the out of place and the Beyoncé of the video review. Because, according to him, “there are cases that do not align with those levels of competence and capacity.” Translation: do not send the practitioner.
The wet dream of any fan, and apparently also of Larcamón, is that the only trending topics of the match are the goals and plays of the football players, not a thread of 50 tweets discussing a millimetric offside. “I hope we are in the hands of the best referees, as Mexican soccer has them, and that the main actors in this series are the players. That is the best for the show,” he said. Basically, a call for the show to be about football, not a soap opera with referees as villains.
The ghost of Kevin Mier’s injury: the trauma that does not let go
And like any good, self-respecting drama, there is a painful flashback. Larcamón, with the subtlety of someone who mentions his ex on a date, relived the traumatic incident that left his star goalkeeper, Kevin Mier, out of action. Without wanting to make a Faitelson-style scandal, he let it slip that that play and his referee management were, in his words, “very bad management.” He specifically referred to the referee ruling in that specific match, clarifying that not so much to what the Disciplinary Commission decided later. And then he released the phrase that hurts: “Unfortunately, for us it was a very high cost.” A cost that translates into having their Colombian goalkeeper, one of their key figures, in spectator mode for the most beautiful part of the season.
To finish off with a well-placed touch of drama, the coach dedicated some words to Mier that are to put the *upside down face*: “I feel sorry for Kevin Mier, because he perhaps didn’t deserve not to be present and starring in all these beautiful moments.” In other words, the goalkeeper is going to miss the climax of the season due to a play that, in the club’s mind, could and should have been handled differently by the officiating body itself.
So, in summary: Cruz Azul reaches the league with a coach who asks for god-level referees, with the specter of a controversial injury hanging around and with the hope that the players will be the only ones who decide this duel against Chivas. Because in high-impact football, the only surprise they want is a great goal, not an unfair red card.
Do you think refereeing will be key in this league? Share your prediction on your social networks and tag your friends so they don’t miss this series that promises everything. And if you want more analysis with this irreverent touch, explore our content on Liga MX.
