Atlético Celaya under Enrique Fernández Prado administration took the second-division position of their predecessors and immediately reached the top level. They joined Primera División after winning the 1994–1995 Liga de Ascenso tournament where they managed to beat Pachuca. Prior to the 1995–96 tournament the club brought in former Real Madrid greats Emilio Butragueño and Hugo Sánchez who led the club to the Final with a record of 14/10/10 for a total of 52 points, qualifying them for the quarter-finals for the first time in club history. The club defeated Monterrey in the quarter-finals, first in Monterrey, ending in a 2–2 draw, then in Celaya where the clubs again tied, 0–0. In the semi-finals they faced Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz, first in Veracruz where Celaya took a 1–0 series advantage, then in Celaya where Celaya scored 5 goals, reaching its first Final in the Mexican Primera División. In the final the club faced Necaxa, who had beaten Tigres UANL in the quarter-finals and América in the semi-finals. In the Celaya match the clubs drew at 1–1. In the following Mexico city contest they tied at 0–0. In a controversial decision the league decided not to play extra time or a penalty shootout and awarded Necaxa the title for their away goal in Celaya.