The 5 advantages that José Pékerman has to face the Colombian National Team

Last match of the qualifiers, the Colombia National Team needs a win and a positive result from Paraguay against Peru to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. At the helm is a rival with whom they play a true 'classic' and now with the special tint that coach José Néstor Pékerman, will be leading them. All the ingredients are put on the table to form a great show in the last match of the South American competition.

On the match against Venezuela, coach Reinaldo Rueda stated that, “It's another game, we have to consolidate this team, give it confidence and support to face a difficult rival with maturity. It's a matter of training according to what we can plan for that match.”

And he added that, “there is a very difficult game left against a rival who is in a good time. We are going to look for a great match, we hope to get it forward to get the qualification, if it is not direct, we will get the third match knowing that in these qualifiers there is nothing written until the end”.

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José Néstor Pékerman is one of the most remembered and loved coaches by the fans of the Colombian National Team. The Argentine came to lead the Tricolor at the beginning of 2012 and was in charge of the team for six years, achieving, after 12 years, a World Cup qualification. In Brazil 2014 the Colombian team shone and it was one of the great revelations, in the round of 16 it won forcefully over Uruguay, while in the quarter-finals it fell to the local team, this was the best presentation of the national team in the World Cup.

After the World Cup there was speculation about his departure, however, he remained in office, so he played the Qualifiers against Russia 2018. He achieved another direct classification and this time he passed the group stage, however he stayed in the round of 16 after losing, from penalties, to the England National Team. After this contest, the story between the Argentine and the Colombian team came to an end. Added to all this is his two appearances in the Copa América, where he managed to reach the quarterfinals in 2015 and took third place in 2016.

Pékerman spent several years away from the courts, until last November 2021, the Venezuelan Football Federation confirmed him as the new coach of the Venezuelan National Team. Since that time he has played three games, won 4-1 against Bolivia in La Paz, however, he fell to Uruguay 4-1 at home and recently lost to Argentina 3-0 at La Bombonera.

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Many of the players currently in the squad called by Reinaldo Rueda are well known to the Argentine coach, such as David Ospina, Davinson Sánchez, Matheus Uribe, James Rodriguez, Juan Fernando Quintero, Luis Muriel, among others. It is for this reason that the Argentine may have some advantages in the match that will take place on Tuesday, March 29.

- Meet the referents: Pékerman worked and was an important part in the formation of several players of the Colombia National Team he will face, which is an advantage since he knows perfectly his form, style and performance on the field of play. David Ospina, Camilo Vargas, Davinson Sanchez, Frank Fabra, Johan Mojica, Stefan Medina, Juanfer Quintero, James Rodriguez, Matheus Uribe, Wilmar Barrios, Luis Muriel and Rafael Santos Borre, are old acquaintances to the Argentine.

- The tactical scheme: Reinaldo Rueda has modified some positions in the scheme he has imposed on the National Team, however, the most repetitive ones were 4-3-3 and 4-4-2, two formations that give Pékerman a previous reading, taking into account the class of players he possesses. The absence of Juan Guillermo Cuadrado could present a variable on the right wing, however, the scheme being implemented by the Colombian coach would not be changed.

- The experience: The Argentine coach has a long journey in his career as a professional and this allows him to have a different vision of the game and more when it comes to decisive matches like the next one, where although he knows that Venezuela has nothing to lose, a win could balance the results in his first meetings at the helm of the Venezuelan National Team. In addition, the experience of having been in the Colombian National Team so recently, allows him to understand the mentality of some players and game situations that could be beneficial to the team.

Short results and the need of the rival: In the Colombian National Team, some of the team's criticisms was that they often endured the pressure of the rival and bet on rapid transitions to attack, something that they could use to their advantage, considering that they know that the team that will come out to propose the most offensive game is the Colombian. That need could allow him to take advantage of some spaces in the midfield and generate goal options.

Meet Reinaldo Rueda: This is not the first time that José Néstor Pékerman has faced Reinaldo Rueda, as he has done so for several years. The first match was in 2005, where it won against Argentina by the slightest difference. Then it was in 2012, when the Argentine was in charge of the Tricolor and the Colombian coach was the helmsman of Ecuador. That match ended in victory for Rueda. A year later the Argentine won his revenge by beating him in Barranquilla 1-0.

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