Atlético Nacional Prepares for Copa Colombia Quarterfinal Against Jaguares

Atlético Nacional is set to face Jaguares in the first leg of the Copa Colombia 2024 quarterfinals at the Estadio Jaraguay in Montería. The fixture is scheduled for this Saturday, with both teams keen to advance to the semi-finals.

The notable news for Atlético Nacional is the return of their goalkeeper after a month’s absence due to injury. The last time he played was also in the Copa Colombia, where he was substituted after conceding a penalty goal.

Atlético Nacional reached the quarterfinals by defeating Alianza, while Jaguares overcame Envigado. Recently, Jaguares secured a victory against Boyacá Chicó in the league, while Atlético Nacional triumphed over Envigado.

The Teams last met in August during a league match where Atlético Nacional defeated Jaguares 0-2 in Montería. On that occasion, the team was under the interim direction of Diego Arias, as the current coach, Efraín Juárez, had just joined following the departure of Pablo Repetto.

Three players from Atlético Nacional have been sidelined for the upcoming match—Álvaro Angulo, Felipe Aguirre, and Juan José Arias.

In anticipation of the match, Andrés Sarmiento of Atlético Nacional commented, “In Montería, it will be a tough game. We need to be united as a team and capitalize on our opportunities. We must be smart.”

In light of Angulo’s injury, young player Samuel Velásquez is expected to play and has set high goals for his team, stating, “Nacional must aim for both titles. We’re focused on winning both trophies. Every time we go on the field, we try to impose our game.”

Another return to the Atlético Nacional lineup is right-back Andrés Román, who has been performing well since joining the club. Román’s return follows his recent engagement with the Colombia national team.