América de Cali Faces Tough Schedule in Liga and Copa Sudamericana

AMÉRICA DE CALI, Colombia — América de Cali has a challenging week ahead as it competes in the Colombian league and the Copa Sudamericana. The team is set to face Deportivo Pereira merely two days after playing against Fluminense in the continental tournament.

The match against Fluminense took place on August 12, finishing at 9:30 p.m. local time. They will play Pereira at 6 p.m. on August 14, giving the players less rest than the 72 hours recommended by FIFA.

“There is a consensus that there should be at least 72 hours of rest between matches and that players should have a break of at least 21 days at the end of each season,” said a FIFA representative.

Currently, América de Cali sits in 17th place in the league table, with just four points from their matches and trailing ten points behind the leaders, Junior. For the upcoming fixture, coach Gabriel Raimondi is expected to field an alternate lineup.

América lost its last match against Santa Fe and suffered additional defeats against Deportes Tolima and Fluminense, leading to a streak of three losses. Their recent performance ramped up pressure as they seek to improve against Pereira, who is ranked ninth with eight points.

The scheduled match against Pereira was delayed due to a lack of police support during local festivities in Risaralda. After the game, América will shift focus to their crucial Copa Sudamericana match on August 19 at Maracanã Stadium, where they are currently down 2-1 on aggregate.

Despite injuries to key players, América is looking to regroup. Coach Raimondi stated, “We have two very important matches ahead, and we will face them in the best possible way. Most players who did not play against Fluminense will not be available on Thursday.”

América must secure points in the league while preparing for the Copa Sudamericana, knowing that every match is crucial for their aspirations. “We are alive, of course. In Brazil, I don’t believe it will be the same match with them closed defensively. We can win there; that goal from Barrios was more than a light,” Raimondi commented.