Independiente Medellín Transferred to Copa Sudamericana After Loss Against Internacional de Porto Alegre

Independiente Medellín depended on itself to reach the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores, but the Antioquia team lost 3-1 against Internacional de Porto Alegre in Brazil for the sixth date of the group stage and was transferred to the Copa Sudamericana.

The goals from Mauricio and Luiz Adriano, who scored twice, were the cause of the loss of the Paisa team, which could only be discounted through the Argentine striker Luciano Pons.

Medellín went from first place to third in Group B, which was led by Inter, with 12 points, and where Nacional de Montevideo finished second with 11 points. Metropolitanos, from Venezuela, was last without points.

Independiente Medellín lost in their sixth Copa Libertadores match – Photo: Getty Images / Fernando Alves

The Colombians finished with ten units as the best third in the entire Libertadores group stage, two more than Deportivo Pereira, who did advance to the round of 16 in zone F as second, only surpassed by Boca Juniors.

Medellín’s rival in the South American

For this edition, the Copa Sudamericana changed its format and therefore the second in the group stage will have to play against the teams transferred from the Libertadores in a play-off.

That is why Independiente Medellín, the best squad that arrives in the South American, will face the worst of the second.

And the opponent of the Mighty of the Mountain will be a great of the continent, San Lorenzo, which has a South American and the 2014 Copa Libertadores in its showcase.

San Lorenzo player disputes the ball in a Copa Sudamericana match – Photo: Photo: @Sudamericana

In their area, the Argentine team scored eight points, the product of two wins, two draws and two losses, scoring seven goals for and conceding six. Fortaleza, from Brazil, was the leader in the San Lorenzo group, since he was able to reach 15 units.

Colombian presence in San Lorenzo

An interesting fact about the rival that Independiente Medellín will have is that there are two Colombians on their squad: defender Rafael Pérez and midfielder Carlos Sánchez.

Although he passed through Medellín, Santa Fe and Real Cartagena, in Colombia Pérez is linked to his successful transit through the Junior de Barranquilla. With the Shark he won two Betplay Leagues, a Cup and a Super League.

For his part, Sánchez is a benchmark in recent years of Colombian football, participating in two World Cups and playing in Europe in teams such as Elche, Espanyol, Aston Villa, West Ham, Watford and Fiorentina.

Carlos Sánchez now plays in Argentina for San Lorenzo – Photo: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett

The ‘Rock’ Sánchez was in Santa Fe between 2021 and 2022, standing out as a central defender with the team led by Alfredo Arias.

The good memory of San Lorenzo

Medellín is a special city for San Lorenzo, since in 2002 it played the final of the Copa Sudamericana against Atlético Nacional, winning the first leg at the Atanasio Girardot stadium 4-0.

The Cuervo’s goals were scored by goalkeeper Sebastián Saja, Pablo Michellini, Leandro Romagnoli and Rodrigo Astudillo. The return in Argentina was 0-0 and therefore the Boedo team was left with the first edition of this Conmebol tournament.

And the curious thing is that the coach at that time was Rubén Insúa, the same coach that the Blaugrana have today.

San Lorenzo has an even record against Colombian teams, winning four times, drawing three and losing three other times. Junior has been the rival with whom he has faced the most, doing it four times, distributing two wins per side.

He is undefeated against Millonarios and Nacional in two games and the only team that has not been able to beat him is Once Caldas, with whom he drew and lost.

Playoff of the South American Cup

Barcelona – Estudiantes LPÑublense – Audax ItalianoPatronato – BotafogoColo Colo – América MineiroLibertad – TigreCorinthians – UniversitarioSporting Cristal – EmelecMedellín – San Lorenzo

The play-off phase will have the first leg played in the week of July 11-13 and the return leg from the 18th to the 20th of the same month.

2023-06-30 14:37:36
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