Dudamel, the only one who always believed in Millonarios: ‘he couldn’t close badly’

Atlético Bucaramanga is in the League final for its first round and the hand of blue.

Atlético Bucaramanga is in the final of the Betplay I 2024 League for two main reasons: its victory against Pereira on the last date of the home runs (3-1) and Millonarios’ 2-0 victory against Junior.

It was that combination that made all the teams in quadrangular A equal on 8 points and allowed the ‘leopards’, protected by the so-called ‘invisible point’, the sporting advantage that made all those who matched them in that item lose , because the fact of having classified first was worth it.

The score seemed almost impossible since Leonel Álvarez’s team had priority, Junior had to win and wait for a tie in the Alfonso López and only Millonarios arrived without a choice. And it was blue that the surprising coach Rafael Dudamel opted for.

“I was very convinced that this result was viable (the blue victory in Bogotá). It was marked by historical statistics. Furthermore, Millonarios, as a big team and because of its professionalism, could not afford to lose two games in a row, it is strange to see them in that situation. The first thing I told my team was that we couldn’t afford not to win because surely in Bogotá the result we needed was going to happen,” he said on ESPN’s Team F.

He always trusted in that hierarchy of the coach and the players: “Millonarios could not close the campaign badly but this speaks very well of the Colombian League. They are dangerous games, fortunately nothing has happened but a lot could have happened. It is clear that Millonarios was coming of suffering the elimination of Libertadores and there was no better way to clean up their image than by winning their last game.

​

So while many have ‘get off the bus’ of Gamero and his team because of a 2024 to be forgotten, rivals still trust in Millonarios’ ability to get out of their slump. In the end, the one he creates is usually the most unexpected.