Atlético Nacional receives Deportivo Pereira this Thursday in the afternoon at the Polideportivo Sur stadium in Envigado for the semifinals of the Copa Colombia. They will need to comeback from the 2-0 scoreline to reach the final.
The Verdolaga team cannot use the Atanasio Girardot stadium because a concert will be taking place there, so they had to find another venue to play against Matecaña.
The Antioquia team comes to this match with the need for a victory by at least two goals, as they lost 2-0 in the first leg at the Hernán Ramírez Villegas stadium. If the series is tied, the team that will advance to the next round will be decided by penalties.
The green and white team will have to seek a victory by three goals if they want to go directly to the championship final, where they could face the winner of the Millonarios vs Cúcuta Deportivo matchup.
They will play this match with the tranquility of having secured their place in the semifinals of the Colombian League Finalización by defeating Alianza Petrolera in the 18th round.
They suffered the expulsion of midfielder Nelson Deossa in the previous match in the city of Pereira, but he will be able to play as Nacional loaned several players to participate in the Pan American Games.
The midfielder is on the list of 19 players called up by the coach, which also includes Kevin Mier, Jhon Duque, Cristian Zapata, Jefferson Duque, Dorlan Pabón, and the Venezuelan Eric Ramírez.
Bodmer, confirmed as head coach, said that Pereira "is a team that we know very well, already with a structure well worked by coach Restrepo. But we believe that this Pereira we are going to face will be a team that comes out to defend the result. But this is football and anything can change."
The coach also expressed his confidence in his players and in reaching the final of the championship.
"We reviewed what the match against them in the league was like, and I saw positive things that we did against them. We are convinced that we will comeback and be in the final," said the recently confirmed Nacional coach. On the other hand, Deportivo Pereira arrives eliminated in the 2023-II Colombian League and with the goal of reaching the final of the Copa Colombia to fight for the title and qualification to the CONMEBOL Libertadores.
They need a draw or to lose by only one goal difference to eliminate Nacional and become the first finalist of the Copa Colombia.
Possible lineups:
Nacional: Mier; Zapata, Ocampo, Aguirre, Velásquez; Jhon Duque, Mejía, Deossa; Perea, Jefferson Duque, Pabón.
Pereira: Quintana; Ramírez, Zuluaga, Quintero, Súarez; Monroy, Medina, Bocanegra, Garcés; Ángelo Rodríguez, Arley Rodríguez.