The ‘Coastal Classic’ is back! Junior and Unión Magdalena will have a new face-to-face today that fuels a rivalry of years, with a long history, which has monopolized covers, which has left anecdotes, important triumphs, painful defeats, impressive goals and exciting celebrations from side to side.
Today another chapter of a traditional confrontation is being written, in which the present of both teams is worth little, because on the field everything starts from scratch, and pride is at stake more than three points.
The descent of the ‘Ciclón’ in 2019 again cut the regularity of the classic. The last time they collided was on September 30, 2019 —a 1-1 draw in Santa Marta— and since then they had not enjoyed everything that surrounds a match like this.
On one side will be Juan Cruz Real’s Junior, who has managed to achieve that regularity that was so much requested of him in order to calm the tide. The rojiblancos come from two consecutive wins that have filled the team with confidence and that today place it in sixth place in the I-2022 League, with 15 points.
On the other side is the Union, which always carries the weight of the fight for relegation on its shoulders. The azulgranas have not had a good start, today they occupy the penultimate box with only one win and three draws, in nine games played. They have not added up for three games and they arrive with water up to their necks, with the possibility of falling into the dark basement if they lose in the classic and Patriotas, last with five points, achieve a victory in their duel against Equidad.
At first glance, the balance is clearly in favor of the ‘Shark’, but that is where the importance and special flavor of a duel of these comes in, where it is proven, over and over again, that the favorite does not always win, as has seen in recent confrontations (see attached note).
Junior takes the game very seriously. The ‘rojiblancos’ not only want to win the classic but also continue to respect the house, where they have built a kind of fort where it has been difficult to harm them.
Those led by Juan Cruz Real hope today to add their third victory in a row to place themselves at the top of the table and thus arrive full of confidence at the first duel of the South American Cup against Equidad, next Thursday, at the El Campín stadium. from Bogota.
But today the mind is set on the Union, a team that sells its defeats dearly, especially with Junior. Against the rojiblancos, the ‘Cyclone’ always plays a final and this afternoon will be no exception. Carlos ‘Paradita’ Silva’s team hopes to deliver the blow of the day, the one that has not been delivered since 2005, when the last banana victory was recorded in a ‘Clásico Costeño’ by League (March 20; 1-0, in Barranquilla) .
WILL THERE BE VARIATIONS?
As is customary, coach Juan Cruz Real has not given any clues as to who his starting eleven will be today against Unión, at the ‘Metro’.
The only sure thing is that he will repeat the base that has been acting, with the loss due to suspension of midfielder Didier Moreno.
Homer Martínez, having a good game against Tolima, will repeat in the middle, accompanied, very surely, by Yesús Cabrera and Luis ‘Cariaco’ González.
The question ahead is whether Juan Cruz will put up, for the first time, the Miguel Borja-Fernando Uribe duo, taking advantage of the absolute recovery of the Risaraldian striker, or will put up a trident made up of two wingers and a ‘9’ again, as they have been doing.
The fixed center forward will be Miguel Borja and Fredy Hinestroza and Edwuin Cetré could be on the wings. Omar Albornoz, scorer of the second Atletico goal against Tolima, would be another option to use.
In fixed defense will be Jorge Arias, Dany Rosero and Gabriel Fuentes, while on the right Walmer Pacheco could reappear, who has not played since the fourth day, when he was injured in the defeat against Santa Fe, in Bogotá. If finally the coach does not bet on the return of Pacheco, Fabián Viáfara will play again in that position. While the arch will be guarded by Captain Sebastián Viera.
The duel, corresponding to the tenth day of the League, will begin at 4:05 pm, in the ‘Metro’, and will be led by Bolivarian referee Carlos Ortega. Stream the Win Sports+ channel.
