El Millonario is scheduled to travel this Tuesday to Bogotá to face the Colombian team in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana round of 16, but the strong earthquake has cast doubt on everything
While awaiting confirmations, River is initially set to continue with its travel plans. The team is scheduled to train this Tuesday and depart for Bogotá at 15:25, although it must first obtain approval from the authorities and CONMEBOL. The delegation will stay at the Hilton Corferias and, in principle, will return to Buenos Aires immediately after the match.
After the strong earthquake that struck various regions of Colombia, a question began to loom in the world of River: Will the match against Independiente Santa Fe, corresponding to the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana round of 16, be played?
The short answer is: It is still unknown. CONMEBOL is assessing the situation and, so far, has not made any determination regarding the match, which is scheduled for this Wednesday, August 12 at 21:30 Argentina time (19:30 Colombia time) at the Nemesio Camacho El Campín Stadium in Bogotá.
"We are evaluating everything", said representatives from the South American organization when asked about a possible modification of the match. However, they also clarified that "it is not so immediate", so the decision could extend over the next few hours.
The earthquake was recorded this Monday at 7:34 AM and had its epicenter in the department of Chocó. The tremor was strongly felt in various areas of the country, including Bogotá, Cali, Manizales, and Medellín, as well as in Ecuador and Panama. In light of the situation, DIMAYOR suspended the Colombian football matches scheduled for this Monday and left their rescheduling under evaluation.
Time is a determining factor for the organization of the Millionaire. If CONMEBOL decides to change the venue, date, or time, it must do so before the team embarks on the trip to Colombia.
The uncertainty also extends to other international competitions. This Tuesday, it is expected that Deportes Tolima will host Independiente del Valle in Ibagué, for the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores, in an area close to some of the municipalities that were affected by the earthquake.
For now, the match between River and Santa Fe remains officially scheduled, but the situation in Colombia keeps the planning of the Millionaire in suspense. In Núñez, they are awaiting a decision while preparing to travel, with the expectation of knowing whether they will finally be able to play the first chapter of the series in Bogotá.
