Nacional and Santa Fe, with the best panorama in Cups: analysis of the Colombians

The Colombian teams tempted luck and already know their rivals in the group stage of the continental cups. In the Copa Sudamericana, Millonarios and Tolima were in tough groups, although it could also have been worse; more comfortable was, on paper, for Santa Fe. In the Copa Libertadores, the outlook is complex for Deportivo Pereira and Independiente Medellin, but not so much for Nacional.

(You may be interested: The memes are already playing their game with the Libertadores and Sudamericana draws)

Panorama in the South American

Millonarios has just fallen to the South American after not being able to get into the group stage of the Libertadores. He is now betting on advancing in this tournament, but the panorama is presented to him with adversities that he could overcome, although he will have trips to Brazil and Argentina, an initial problem.

His main challenge is that he has to face a team with a cup tradition like Penarol from Uruguay, five-time winner of the Copa Libertadores. He will also come across Defensa y Justicia, a team that is not one of the traditional Argentine ones, and if he wanted to avoid the Brazilians at all costs —a headache wherever you look and when you look at it, because it comes from falling into the key against Mineiro—, couldn’t, it’s up to América Mineiro, which, at least, is a team from Bello Horizonte that isn’t one of the greats.

Tolima was left in an area full of lava. The mere fact of having to cross paths with São Paulo in Brazil is already a huge problem. He also has Tigre, an Argentine who can complicate. The other rival is more comfortable, Puerto Cabello from Venezuela: it should surpass it. Both Millonarios and Tolima ran the risk by not being group leaders of facing at least one of the greats of the continent, and so it was.

That is why the panorama of Santa Fe is more benevolent, being seeded he avoided the most ‘heavy’ from the start. The cardinal team, champion of the tournament in 2015, was left with Universitario from Peru, Goiás from Brazil and Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata from Argentina. The three are rivals who, regardless of the uncomfortable trips to Brazilian and Argentine courts, can be taken advantage of.

In the Sudamericana, the first of each group advances directly to the round of 16, while the second goes to a play-off with the third of the Libertadores. So if the Colombians want to advance, the best thing will be to aim for first place.

Stage in the Copa Libertadores

In the Copa Libertadores there is another scenario and it is a minefield for the Sports Pereira, the last Colombian champion, who played him in the group with Boca Juniors from Argentina. Good luck! There is already reason to grab your head. But, in addition, it is his turn with Colo Colo from Chile, one of the connoisseurs of the drinks and directed by the experienced Gustavo Quinteros. The other is Monagas from Venezuela, he does have the level to overcome it.

Independent Medellin It also has a complicated scenario, with Inter from Brazil and Nacional from Uruguay. Metropolitanos de Venezuela has the obligation to overcome it, but that will not be enough.

Instead, National Athletic, perhaps the team that has the most pressure to be the protagonist for Colombia, was left in group H, which is complex but passable: it has nothing more, nothing less than Olimpia from Paraguay with which it has already been taken, sparks in the past — he won the 1989 final. He also plays with Melgar del Perúm and Patronato, a boy from Argentina. He should be able to take advantage and qualify for the round of 16.

PAUL ROMERO
Editor of EL TIEMPO

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