Feb 20, 2024, 4:44 PM ET
Matías Zunino playing for Nacional facing Banfield in the CONMEBOL Libertadores 2018. Twitter – @Nacional
Given Nacional’s participation in the previous phase of the CONMEBOL Libertadores, we review how Bolso did on the previous occasions it faced this instance.
The key against Academia Puerto Cabello puts Bolso before the challenge of overcoming the previous phase to achieve its goal of entering the group stage. He had already faced this goal in three previous years of the competition, and in two he was able to advance to the group stage, while in one he fell by the wayside.
Beyond that, there is another piece of information that can be taken as worrying, or that at least marks a streak to break for the tricolors in the 2024 edition: In the three times he had to play in the previous phases of Libertadores, he never reached the round of 16.
We review them below.
2014 vs Oriente Petrolero
Nacional fell 1-0 at the Tahuichi Stadium, and then won 2-0 at home at the Gran Parque Central with goals from Iván Alonso and Carlos De Pena. They played in Group G, where they finished last behind Gremio, Atlético Nacional and Newell’s with a single point. The team was directed by Gerardo Pelusso.
2015 vs Palestino
On his second occasion facing a preliminary phase of the tournament, El Bolso traveled to Chile where he lost 1-0 against Palestino. In the rematch in Montevideo they won 2-1 (goals from Gastón Pereiro and Germán Lanaro against them), being eliminated by the away goal scored by the Chilean team. The coach on that occasion was Álvaro Gutiérrez. A curiosity is that in both 2014 and 2015 the current Nacional coach, Álvaro Recoba, was on the team.
2018 vs Chapecoense y Banfield
The tricolor team won both games against Chapecoense of Brazil in 2018 in the first qualifying phase. On both occasions the goal was scored by “Colo” Santiago Romero, in a team that was led by “Cacique” Alexander Medina.
Then, Nacional had to face Banfield and the key was once again in favor of the white team. At the Florencio Sola stadium, the result was 2-2 (Sebastián Fernández and Alfonso Espino scored the goals), while at home, Nacional won 1-0 with a goal from Matías Zunino in the 95th minute to settle the series.
In that year, Bolso entered Group G in which they finished third behind Santos and Estudiantes, and above Real Garcilaso.