FINAL, ida (6 de agosto): Nacional de Asunción(PAR) vs San Lorenzo de Almagro(ARG) FINAL, vuelta (13 de agosto): San Lorenzo de Almagro(ARG) vs Nacional de Asunción(PAR)
I just realized that both Nacional and San Lorenzo were the two worst teams (pointwise) of the 16 that advanced to the knockout stage. Both finished with only 8 points in the group stage, winning just 2 of their 6 matches. Nacional (#16) advanced with just one more point than 3rd place Zamora, while San Lorenzo (#15) advanced on the last day of group play thanks to an 88th minute goal that gave them a lead in goal difference over Independiente del Valle (both tied in points; CASLA +1 GD, Independiente 0 GD). Another thing -- both have won less than half of the games they played, with just 5 wins in 12 games. Worst finalists ever??
I like how Conmebol lifted the suspension for 2 San Lorenzo players against Bolivar but when Nacional tried to do the same for Marcos Riveros it was denied. I guess it only works if your Argentine.
Come on Nacional all of Argentina is hoping you can do what the clowns from bolivar, cruzeiro, gremio, and botafogo couldn't do... Beat a very average san lorenzo team that has no business winning this copa... Would be a sad day if CASLA lifts this cup, and i think it'll happen... I don't think Nacional has a chance in hell. By the way, would you say Nacional is in the top 5 biggest clubs in paraguay?
Technically, in terms of titles they would be the 5th behind Olimpia, Cerro, Libertad, and Guarani but now that they are only the 2nd Paraguayan team to make a Libertadores final, guess you could say their the 2nd? lol If they win, you could definitely consider them the 2nd no doubt. It's a pretty huge feat for a small and poor league like the Paraguayan league to make back to back Libertadores finals with 2 different teams especially with one of the teams having a very small fanbase and barely being able to afford flood lights for their stadium.
Nacional averages less than ONE thousand people per game, it's hard to believe that such a small team has made it to the finals, I don't remember a smaller team ever being in a libertadores final, as latin said they just got flood lights in their stadium last year. BTW: they usually collect 7000$-8000$ in ticket sales in their home games yes 7 -8 thousand!!.
FINAL, ida (miércoles 6): Nacional de Asunción(PAR) 1 San Lorenzo de Almagro(ARG) 1 Goles de Mauro Matos(SLA) y Julio Santa Cruz(N, al minuto 92). FINAL, vuelta (miércoles 13 de agosto): San Lorenzo de Almagro(ARG) vs Nacional de Asunción(PAR)
Anybody here familiar enough with this CASLA squad to answer: will Piatti's absence seriously affect the team's chances next week? I read Piatti will be joining a Canadian club and he can't play next week for contractual reasons.
It will effect them greatly... Did you see the game? Piatti was the only one creating anything for CASLA... Not to mention their other really creative player, Angel Correa, has a serious heart problem and his career is in jeopardy and is out for a year minimum. Unfortunately, Nacional is such a terrible team it won't matter I don't think... The fact they actually managed to score was nothing short of miracle. Their front line had just no quality, worse than most teams in the Argentina A (third tier of argentine football) Nacional is easily the worst team i've ever seen reach a Libertadores Final, and and this is by far the worst libertadores i can remember... However, don't count out Piatti playing the final... Tinelli could pay MLS a nice chunk of change to extend the loan, or even Viggo Mortensen, the Lord of the Rings actor, who has donated lots of money to the club over the years and built the complex where the youth players live. CASLA may not be many things, but they have rich fans
I saw only bits and pieces in the first half and turned the TV off. I agree with you that Nacional is a modest squad... the SPFC of 1992-1993, the solid Corinthians of 2012, the warrior Internacional of 2010, the clutch and well-assembled Palmeiras of 1999. Those were teams! Even Peñarol in 2011 was much better. Olimpia and Newell's Old Boys in 2013, they didn't win the whole thing but they were very competitive sides. If this Nacional team wins the Libertadores, Real Madrid may send a reserve side because that'll suffice to win the FIFA Club World Cup. If CASLA doesn't win this Libertadores, your countrymen who mock it for the lack of Libertadores titles will have a field day. I foresee Nacional parking with two lines of 5, trying to frustrate CASLA as they did against Vélez Sarsfield and Arsenal. They won't be intimidated by CASLA's fans, and while I think it's more realistic to predict San Lorenzo as the champion, if Nacional takes it, it won't surprise me.
With all due respect to both finalists, Real Madrid appears to be out of reach. Instead the Libertadores winner needs to focus on making the final. Failure in the semis will make it three in the last five years and CONMEBOL's seeded status will be questioned more and more. It's been quite interesting reading about Nacional and it's fascinating to see such a small club in the final.
I actually agree with this. CASLA and Nacional were 15th and 16th respectively in the first round. If Nacional does win this Libertadores and reaches the title match, Madrid can literally field 11 reserves as it will still win easily. If CASLA wins this title, they will not have Piatti, who is now going to a Canadian team. CASLA is a better team as it has shown solid ballhandling and passing, but it's still far from some of the better sides South America has sent to Japan. 2010: Internacional actually played well, but that day, it didn't convert its few chances. 2013: Atl.-MG did not even play well, and it had decreased dramatically from its Libertadores form (which is no excuse).
Japan generally seems to be a more favorable venue. It's the Arab Club World Cups where the Libertadores winners have been struggling the most. Luckily for you it probably goes back to Japan in 2015.
Oh yea, because River Plate from 1996 wasn't as good as 1999 palmeiras, 2012 corinthians, or the mighty inter of 2010 that lost to some african team?
Sensitive, aren't we. Or are you saying that the 1999 Palmeiras or the 2012 Corinthians or the 1992-1993 SPFC were bad teams? Furthermore, I said nothing negative about your team's 1996 edition let alone downplayed it.
Plus Atl MG's Libertadores form wasn't the greatest to begin with. For all the ridicule Nacional are getting in this thread, Atl MG's run to the final last season was equally unimpressive.
I would say that 2013 Olimpia was a tougher opponent than 2014 San Lorenzo, although the former had its merits as the latter has its strengths. It’s likely, IMO, that San Lorenzo will win it as it is a better team than Nacional and as it’ll decide at home, but Nacional has already eliminated Argentine teams twice in this tournament, at Liniers and at Sarandi. Wonder if they’ll make it 3 for 3.
I don't know what is happening to the Libertadores... it used to be a great tournament, and lately mediocre teams have been reaching the final. The finalists are far from being the best clubs in the continent. This edition was the worst I've ever seen - uninteresting games with low technical quality. I was bored to death in the first leg of the final, and will watch today but my expectation is not high. Either one of these teams will be decimated by Real Madrid; this, if the South American representative makes the Club WC final, which is not a given. Just this fact itself shows the decline. In the past, the Libertadores would easily make the final and give a hard time to the UEFA representative. Oh well, sadly European football is becoming more and more dominant over South American football, both for national teams and clubs. I'd love to see South America bouncing back.