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Mexican coach Efraín Juárez has been a trending name in recent weeks, and only months into his tenure as head coach of Colombian powerhouse Atlético Nacional.
First, because of a sanction from La DIMAYOR (Colombian Major Division of Professional Football), the governing body of soccer in Colombia, for allegedly using offensive language and provoking the opposing team by celebrating a goal during the match against Independiente Santa Fe in November.
There was talk of many fines, even of being unable to enter opposing stadiums for a long time. In the end, Juárez was sanctioned with a two-match suspension and will not be on the bench in the first leg of the Copa Colombia. He has a fine of 2,600,000 Colombian pesos (approximately 600 U.S. dollars). There is also talk of another possible financial penalty and another two-match suspension.
In Colombia and other parts of the world, this “sanction” was seen as unjustified and absurd. Others took it as a personal attack on Atlético Nacional.
Atlético Nacional supported its coach at all times, defending him publicly on social media and finding evidence to defend him.
The Cup
As the saying goes, “sometimes you are up and sometimes you are down.” Juárez did not let his sanction be a distraction and remained focused on his goal of winning with the Verde.
Now the Mexican is making news, but for a double victory of qualifying the “Verde” to two different finals that dispute a place in two international tournaments such as the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana.
The first feat of the team of Professor Juárez is to win the first leg of the final of the Copa Colombia against América de Cali.
The duel will be played this Thursday, December 12, at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium, while the second leg will be on Sunday, December 15, at the Pascual Guerrero Stadium in Cali.
Betplay Dimayor Cup, more popularly known as the Colombian Cup, is where teams from the A and B divisions of Colombian soccer gather.
The “Verdolagas” already have six wins (2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2023) and want a seventh. While the “Escarlatas” are in search of their first trophy in this cup.
Even with all the past triumphs, Juárez is focused on the present, without underestimating the rival.
As mentioned before, Juárez will be managing away from the bench, but he will guide the “Paisa” team with his assistants.
“We never compare ourselves, we don’t. We always respect our rivals, I think I was pleasantly surprised by the soccer that is played in Colombia. The club and the family that we have formed have always given something to talk about and it seems to me that we are on the verge of making history, but we have to go step by step. We play finals every two or three days and with adverse situations and those moments when we didn’t have people in the stadium, we will reverse them with two finals,” said coach Juárez in a press conference.
This final is not only important for the place in the Copa Sudamericana, but it is also considered a classic of Colombian football.
It should be noted that America already has the place in the Sudamericana, but they still need this tournament, in which they are finalists for the first time. They obtained their ticket with entry to the round of 16 for having participated in the previous Copa Sudamérica, but they want the title of champion.
“We will face a great rival, who is in a great moment, who will also play the final of the League. We are prepared to play in the best way, to bring us a good result to define the key in Cali. We are very eager to play this game. We need our players to have 180 very good minutes,” said the coach of America Da Silva. In a press conference.
The last meeting between “Antioqueños” and “Vallecaucanos” was on July 21 at the Atanasio Girardot with a 2-1 victory for the home team.
It is worth noting that three of Nacional’s players were sanctioned by Dimayor for alleged inappropriate “celebrations.” This news comes days before the duel with América and has created some confusion among fans as they demand persecution of the team that many consider the greatest in Colombia in recent times.
The League
As if it were not enough to play one exciting final, Juárez would have the privilege of coaching two almost simultaneously, playing four matches in eleven days.
After six intense dates of quarter finals in the BetPlay League 2024-II, and thanks to their performance and the accumulated points, Deportes Tolima and Atlético Nacional managed to qualify as first in their respective groups.
“Los Pijaos” were fourth in the first phase of the championship with 34 points, won 10 games, four draws and five losses. Tolima was the first to qualify after defeating Once Caldas 1-0 and finished the season first in Group B with 10 points.
For its part, the “Rey de Copa” qualified in fifth place for the semifinal quarter finals after adding 32 points in the round-robin phase. Nacional obtained nine wins, five draws and five losses.
In the second phase, the draw left them in group A together with Millonarios FC, Santa Fe and Deportivo Pasto and there they finished as leaders with 13 points, just one point more than Millonarios. Their last match was against Santa Fe, whom they defeated resoundingly with a final score of 3-0.
As one of their nicknames says, the “Rey de Copa” is going for the 18th star in their history while Tolima is going for its fourth.
These two teams are old rivals since each one, first being Tolima champion in 2018 and four years later, Nacional in 2022 and 2024 will be the fourth.
The action begins on December 18 at Tolima’s home in the Manuel Murillo Toro Stadium. The return match will be on December 22 at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium, where everything will be determined, and the Colombian champion will be named.
The “Verde” had not played the title matches for the double (League and Cup) since 2013.
If they manage to get both victories, they will make history in Colombian soccer by winning two consecutive cups only a few days apart.
