ANDBetween Nacional, Millonarios and América they have won almost half of the leagues that have been played in Colombia, since professionalism began in 1948. The green ones have 17 stars; the blues, 16 and the reds, 15. The 98th championship is being played and the sum of the three largest in the country is already 48.
However, none of the three are in the top eight of the championship today and they all had very hard times. The reaction of recent dates has them on the lookout for eighth place: the three are lining up, two points from the limit to play in the finals, where Independiente Medellín is today.
Millos, in addition, has the obligation to compete in an international tournament, a situation that Nacional and América no longer have, already eliminated from the Libertadores and the Sudamericana, respectively. But before his debut in the top continental tournament, on Tuesday against Flamengo, Alberto Gamero has a game ahead of him against Fortaleza, this Saturday (8:30 pm), in which he has already announced changes.
“We will try to win the match against Fortaleza. What is clear is that those who play on Saturday will not play on Tuesday against Flamengo. We will face a great team and we want to do a good job in the Libertadores,” said Gamero after the victory against Santa Fe.
Press reports claimed that there was pressure on the coach and the Millos players, which President Enrique Camacho denied. “This is what I have always told you: 'You have been a team that has been champion on several occasions, you are almost the same. How can we now be losing games in a row? They have to recover that warrior spirit that Millionaires must have, that love for the shirt and feeling that they are the greatest and that is how one succeeds,'” said the leader.
Millos does not have an easy schedule: although he has four of the five games left, he has two very tough rivals, the champion Junior and Pereira. The other two are Pasto and Boyacá Chicó.
National and America are not resigned either
Atlético Nacional does not have an easy schedule either. After the games against Envigado as a visitor (today, 2 pm) and Fortaleza at home (Friday, 6:10 pm), they will have a tough round, with Santa Fe, Pereira and Medellín.
The greens were last a week ago and two wins in a row left them on the verge of eight. “We have had a great improvement, emotionally, physically, and we have to continue improving because there is no room for more setbacks,” said coach Pablo Repetto.
Nacional comes from defeating Jaguares, its second win in a row.
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América has in front, on the next two dates, the rivals who are on the limit between the party of the semester and failure: on Sunday they visit Medellín, eighth (6:20 pm) and then receive Junior, seventh (6 April). And it is missing Cali, Pasto, Santa Fe and Once Caldas.
“It is a very important match, we are direct rivals and we are going to take it on with great enthusiasm and prominence. We must strengthen all aspects of the game. Understand and be ourselves, beyond the rival. Be a purposeful team with balance, with order. Beyond the difficulties, we have a good balance between goals received and goals scored. We can improve it more. We are working for it,” declared America's coach, César Farías.
Cesar Farías
Photo:
Jose Orlando Ascencio
Sports Deputy Editor
@josasc
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