by Next Wednesday, March 15, Millonarios visits Atlético Mineiro from Brazil for the second leg of the third phase of the Copa Libertadores. The first leg ended tied 1 – 1. The Colombian team’s goal was scored by David Macalister Silva at minute 42′, while the Brazilian club’s goal was converted by Paulinho at 66′.
To arrive with the starting players in physical fullness, the capital squad played on Saturday March 11 against Atlético Nacional with an alternate group. The only starter in this match was the goalkeeper, Álvaro Montero.
However, despite the fact that Alberto Gamero made a more than mixed approach against the Paisa club, he will not be able to use Andrés Llinás, the team’s benchmark, in the second leg of the third phase of the Copa Libertadores, due to an injury to his central.
“Millionarios FC informs that the player Andrés Llinás presented a grade 1 sprain in his right knee, for which he will not be able to be part of the delegation to Brazil. The player is already in recovery work. Approximate disability: one week”indicated the sports institution on its official Twitter account.
Now, Alberto Gamero will have the great task of rethinking the defensive zone and choosing the replacement for the always important Andrés Llinás. The options are Oscar Vanegas and Jorge Arias. Who will be the chosen one?
Nacional could not with the “B” team of Millionaires in a classic with few emotions
Knowing that the blues came with substitutes, the great favorite to win this game was Atlético Nacional. However, on the field everything was very even. From the beginning it was seen that it would be a two-way game, in which even, for many moments, Millonarios looked closer to the goal than the local team.
And that’s how it was throughout the first half, a very fought game in the middle, in which it didn’t seem that the visiting team was playing with substitutes, while Nacional could not find clarity to open the scoring. Little by little the local fans began to despair and Millonarios became much more established in the game.
In the second part the party did not change practically nothing. Millonarios imposed their high pressure trying to play near Nacional’s area, while the purslane struggled to take possession of the ball and get closer to Álvaro Montero’s goal. Something that didn’t happen for much of the engagement.
In the last minutes of the game, Atlético Nacional tried to turn their entire team into attack, seeking to keep the three points. However, the defense of the Blues began to defend the result with more force. It seemed impossible for a goal to appear in the duel between green and blue.
The game ended tied, without goals and with very few emotions. However, the result is much better for Millonarios considering that he was playing as a visitor and that he left his starting players resting in Bogotá thinking about the Copa Libertadores match.
Despite the result, the purslane reached 13 points, which allows them to reach the championship leader América de Cali. However, the reds have two games less and next Tuesday they will play for date eight against Independiente Santa Fe at the Nemesio Camacho El Campín stadium in Bogotá.
For his part, Millonarios, reached fifth place in the standings with 10 points, but with three pending games to play. So the blues are one of the teams with the best performance so far in the Colombian league.
