Atlético Nacional visits this Thursday, from 7:30 p.m. to Olimpia de Paraguay, for the first leg of phase II in the Copa Libertadores 2022. After two consecutive victories, the team led by Alejandro Restrepo will seek to surprise the ‘franjeado’ and make a difference in one of the most attractive keys in this instance of the continental tournament. On the Paraguayan side, they are decimated in the local tournament, but with the motivation of having eliminated César Vallejo from Peru in the previous series.
Olimpia, with the hope of making a difference at home
After beating César Vallejo from Peru in Phase I, winning both games, Olimpia from Paraguay waits for Atlético Nacional with one loss and one doubt to face Atlético Nacional, in one of the most attractive games of Phase II; Midfielder Edgardo Orzusa is injured and in his place would be Richard Ortiz, while winger Antolín Alcaraz would be in doubt, if he fails to recover, Luis Zárate would be. On the other hand, the Colombian Sergio Otálvaro will play on the right instead of Víctor Salazar.
Julio César Cáceres, coach of Olimpia, is confident that he will make a difference and take a good lead to go to Medellín to qualify. “The boys are committed in every game, as long as we continue like this we will have more games won than lost,” he remarked.
The Paraguayan team comes from equaling 2-2 for the Paraguayan tournament against Libertad, although they played with a mixed team. Regarding the ticket office, it advanced at a good pace and is expected to have a full house at the Defensores del Chaco stadium, in Asunción.
Derlis González, one of Olimpia’s figures, finished off 12 times in the current edition of the Copa Libertadores, being the player with the most shots so far in the tournament, although he still hasn’t scored.
Nacional, to find their idea of the game and achieve forcefulness in attack
Without convincing and with irregularities in their performance, Atlético Nacional faces the Copa Libertadores from Phase II, as happened in 2021 and again against a Paraguayan team. The purslane need to find their idea of the game projected forcefully in attack. As for the team, Alexander Mejía is out due to injury, the player has a sprain in the vast lateral of his right thigh. Alejandro Restrepo trusts in a better soccer expression facing Olimpia, an old opponent where he played decisive phases in the continental competition.
“Personally and professionally, it is very special to face a rival like Olimpia. A very important team on the continent. Olimpia is a team with aerial game and pressure very much from the Paraguayan teams. We take them into account and we must be very attentive in the dispute over each ball and that we must also equalize ourselves, ”he stressed.
In addition, “many times we want to go out with intensity in the opposite field, but the rival, the game conditions can change the plan. You have to improve those moments when you don’t have the ball”.
For his part, Andrés Andrade remarked that “Olimpia is a great team, I was fortunate to see them play and their games were different against César Vallejo. They close lines and get points in Peru, they also have high pressure with strong players. It’s going to be a nice key. They play 4-4-2, they vary in attack. We must seek to internalize, take advantage of the spaces and play on the wings. The ball is faster, we have to be attentive and have a good night to make a difference”.
Data between Olimpia of Paraguay and Atlético Nacional
In total, the Antioquians played 28 games against Guarani clubs with 14 wins for Nacional, eight draws and six wins for the Paraguayans. At home, the purslane have eight wins, four draws and two losses, while in Paraguayan territory there are six wins for Nacional, four draws and three wins for the Guarani, the last being for the first leg of Phase III in the Cup Libertadores 2021 against Libertad by 1-0.
As for the record between Purslane and Copa Libertadores winners, it is six games, with two wins for Nacional, three for Olimpia, and one draw. The franjeados scored seven goals, while the purslane six. For Libertadores, Olimpia and Nacional they have only crossed paths in round-trip keys: Final 1989 and the semifinals of 1990 and 1991 where the Paraguayans advanced. Of those series, only one was not defined by penalties, that of 1991.
There have been seven Paraguayan teams rivaling the Antioquians for Conmebol tournaments; Olimpia (Libertadores 1989, 1990 and 1991) Cerro Porteño (Libertadores 1990 and 2006, Suramericana 2016) Sportivo Luqueño (Libertadores 2008) Guaraní (Suramericana 2013, Libertadores 2021) General Díaz (Suramericana 2014) Libertad (Libertadores 2015, 2019 and 2021) Sol of America (Suramericana 2016). Guaraní was the fifth Paraguayan club to face Nacional for Copa Libertadores, added to the fact that, together with Cerro Porteño, they are the teams from that country to measure it both in Libertadores and in Suramericana.
Only three of the eight teams that are in the second phase of the Copa Libertadores 2022 have already been champions. Two of those are precisely Olimpia and Atlético Nacional, the other is Estudiantes de La Plata.
Olimpia won their last two matches in the Copa Libertadores. The last time I had three consecutive wins in the tournament was between March and April 2013 (three wins). Atlético Nacional has won 33 games in the last 10 editions of the Copa Libertadores (33 wins, 14 draws, 21 losses). The Colombian club is one of seven teams that surpassed 30 wins in that interval in the tournament, the only one of those that is not Argentine or Brazilian.
likely alignment
Olympiad: Alfredo Aguilar; Sergio Otálvaro, Saúl Salcedo, Antolín Alcaraz, Iván Arturo Torres; Richard Ortiz, Alejandro Silva, Marcos Ezequiel Gómez, Derlis González; Jorge Recalde, Guillermo Paiva.
D.T.: Julio Cesar Caceres.
National Athletic: Kevin Wed; Yerson Candelo, Felipe Aguilar, Emmanuel Olivera, Álvaro Angulo; Jhon Duque, Sebastián Gómez, Jarlan Barrera, Daniel Mantilla, Dorlan Pabón, Jefferson Duque.
D.T.: Alexander Restrepo.
Hour: 7:30 p.m.
Stadium: Defenders of the Chaco.
Referee: Nestor Pitana (Argentina).
TV: Facebook Watch.
Juan Camilo Alvarez Serrano
FUTBOLRED Correspondent
Medellin
En Twitter: @juanchoserran8
