Colombia. Falcao expressed his support for Rigoberto Urán following an aggressive message from President Gustavo Petro.
On Thursday evening, November 7, the match between Junior de Barranquilla and Millonarios ended in a 0-0 draw in Liga BetPlay 2-2024. Despite the lack of goals, the meeting sparked important discussions, particularly regarding an incident that occurred as the Bogotá team was leaving the Metropolitano Stadium.
Although any act of violence against a football team is reprehensible, the repercussions of this particular incident are amplified by the presence of the iconic Radamel Falcao García in the Millonarios delegation. Fortunately, only minor injuries were suffered by goalkeeper Álvaro Montero, who was recently called up by the Colombian National Team for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Ecuador.
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There were many expectations for the Barranquilla match, including Junior’s need to win to secure their place in the BetPlay 2-2024 Liga quadrangulars, while Millonarios looked to secure three points to climb the standings and challenge for the coveted invisible point for the semi-final phase. The encounter also featured a duel between Carlos Bacca and Falcao García, two of Colombia’s all-time top scorers with a close relationship.
However, the two strikers who left their mark on Europe were only able to share a few minutes in this match, with Bacca starting for the home side and replacing shortly after Falcao came on. Nonetheless, both players came close to scoring, but were stopped by the match’s standout performers, goalkeepers from both sides serving as substitutes for their national teams.
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Uruguay national team goalkeeper Santiago Mele was a savior for Junior, making crucial saves to avoid a heavy home defeat, denying attempts from Daniel Ruiz and Falcao García. Likewise, Álvaro Montero was a notable figure for the Millonarios, making saves against Nicolás Salazar, Bryan Castrillón, and Bacca.
The first 20 minutes were promising for the Millonarios, but fatigue began to take its toll, leading to a back-and-forth dynamic during the first half. Junior’s late surge late in the first half was dangerous, as Montero was tested repeatedly to keep the score at 0-0.
In the second half, the streak continued in a similar fashion, with the Millonarios starting strong under Alberto Gamero until César Farías’ substitutions revitalized his team, allowing better chances for victory. At the end of the match, with fatigue due to the heat and intensity, the match was a back and forth with opportunities for both teams, and Mele denied Falcao a goal in the stadium where he made the history with the Colombian National Team.
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In the end, it was a good show, albeit lacking in goals, but it lived up to expectations.
After the press conferences and media engagements, the Millonarios headed to Ernesto Corissoz Airport to return to Bogotá and prepare for their match against Deportivo Pereira on Sunday, November 10. During bus transit to the airport terminal, the team bus was attacked with blunt objects, breaking a window.
Fortunately, the damage was minimal; a window was broken and shards fell directly on Álvaro Montero, who is expected to soon join the Colombian National Team for their match against Uruguay before welcoming Ecuador home.
Many media outlets and journalists shared footage of the incident, with communicator Alexis Rodríguez giving a brief report: “The Millonarios’ bus was attacked. Shards hit Álvaro Montero’s arm, causing minor lacerations, but fortunately , he is fine. Such acts must always be condemned, and hopefully those responsible will be held accountable.
In the video, Camilo Vargas’ replacement goalkeeper for Colombia appears calm, but he can also be heard expressing his complaint: “Nothing, just a bit of glass that fell on me. They scratched me.. .”
The Millonarios’ bus was attacked and shrapnel hit Álvaro Montero’s arm, causing minor lacerations, but luckily he is okay.
