Tolima Hosts Millonarios Amid Coaching Tensions and Injuries

IBAGUÉ, Colombia — Deportes Tolima will face Millonarios this Sunday at the Manuel Murillo Toro Stadium in a crucial match for both teams in the Liga BetPlay 2025-II. The match, scheduled for 6:20 p.m. (local time), will showcase two of the youngest coaches in Colombian football: Lucas González of Tolima, 44, and David González of Millonarios, 43.

Tolima enters the match in sixth place with 10 points, boasting a four-match unbeaten streak, including three victories. Despite these results, Lucas González expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s performance, particularly following their 1-0 win against América at Pascual Guerrero. “We are far from the game we want,” he stated after the match, noting a tendency to play defensively after scoring.

Conversely, Millonarios finds itself in crisis, currently at the bottom of the league standings with only one point. David González’s squad has not won a match this semester, drawing 3-3 against Deportivo Cali in their last outing despite once leading the game 2-0. “We need to win a match to relieve the pressure,” he emphasized during a press conference.

The pressure intensifies for both coaches, who are navigating not just on-field challenges but also off-field incidents. Recent reports revealed that some Millonarios players were seen at a nightclub. “These behaviors are unacceptable,” David González said, recognizing the impact of such issues during a losing streak.

The match will also feature several player absences for Millonarios. Captain Andrés Llinás is sidelined due to a leg injury, and Helibelton Palacios is also out with a muscle strain. This has forced the coaching staff to adjust the lineup, including replacing Llinás and Palacios with Sergio Mosquera and Carlos Sarabia, respectively.

A win for Tolima could push them closer to the top spots in the league, while Millonarios aims to break its more than a decade-long winless streak in Ibagué. The match promises to be a significant test for both coaches as they seek to rally their teams in the face of adversity.