Atlético Nacional processes the traumatic elimination of the Copa Libertadores, after falling 4-1 on aggregate against Olimpia of Paraguay.
Criticism comes from all corners, especially from the fans, who despite fulfilling the club at the stadium, left with the bitterness of never having seen the advancement of their rivals to the next phase of the continental tournament in danger.
And to put salt on that wound, it is worth remembering that with this there are already three consecutive editions adding sadness, after failing in the group phase in 2019 at the hands of Guimaraes (2021) and in phase three of the Cup (2019), with Autuori, against Libertad de Paraguay, then directed by Leonel Álvarez.
It gets worse: according to the statistician Álvaro Hincapié, it has been 50 years since this happened to pass an edition of the Copa Libertadores without winning at least one game.
Since 1972, Atlético Nacional has not said goodbye to a Copa Libertadores edition without winning a match.
50 years passed for this Antioquian green anti-record in the cup competition.
– ALVARO HINCAPIE C. (@HINCAPIEDATOS) March 4, 2022
As if that were not enough, Hincapié assures that Atlético Nacional “adjusted 7 games in a row without winning in the Copa Libertadores (3 draws + 4 losses). He equaled his own anti-institutional record of 7 games without achieving a victory in the cup competition between 1972 and 1974 (2 draws + 5 losses)”.
The discussion about the culprits, what could have been and was not and even who will take over the team after the unexpected dismissal of Alejandro Restrepo is yet to take place. The purslane duel is just beginning.