Liga BetPlay II round 16 preview: leaders Nacional host Medellín in the clásico paisa

This preview covers the seven matches of round 16 of the Liga BetPlay II being played from Saturday 24 to Monday 26 October; the round began on Friday with Chicó v Bucaramanga and Junior v Águilas Doradas, and Santa Fe v Millonarios was played back in September. The one to watch is Sunday's clásico paisa at the Atanasio Girardot, where the leaders, Atlético Nacional, host Independiente Medellín, who are seventh. Before that, Deportivo Cali, second on the same 29 points as Nacional, visit Fortaleza, and América de Cali, third, host Cúcuta, eighth. With four rounds left, this one included, and before Friday's matches, Cúcuta held eighth place, the last one that leads to the cuadrangulares, on 21 points, one more than Once Caldas and Tolima.

Saturday 24 October

América de Cali v Cúcuta (18:05 Bogotá time). América are third on 28 points from 14 matches and drew 1–1 in Bucaramanga with a goal from Y. Quintero on 71, after losing at home to Medellín; at home they have five wins and two defeats. Y. Guzmán has 18 goals. Cúcuta, eighth on 21, have won their last four matches, the latest 1–0 against Nacional with an own goal on 18. Cúcuta won 2–0 at home in April 2026; before that, América had won 3–0 away in November 2020.

Once Caldas v Deportivo Pereira (21:15 Bogotá time). At the Palogrande. Once Caldas, ninth on 20 points, won 2–0 at the Atanasio Girardot and on Tuesday drew 1–1 at El Campín with a penalty from D. Moreno on 89; Moreno has 16 goals. They are unbeaten in four matches and are led by Carlos ‘Panelo’ Valencia and Samuel Vanegas, who took over after Hernán Darío Herrera's departure, according to Infobae. Deportivo Pereira, 15th on 13, beat Chicó 2–0 in Yopal and are unbeaten in three. The sides drew 0–0 in April 2026; in September 2025 Once Caldas won 1–0 at home.

Sunday 25 October

Fortaleza v Deportivo Cali (14:00 Bogotá time). At the Metropolitano de Techo. Fortaleza are 18th on 11 points, have only one win in the tournament and are without a win in ten matches; they lost 2–1 to Internacional, with Sebastián Herrera missing a penalty on 45. Cali, second on 29 from 15 matches, won 3–0 in Villavicencio on Wednesday, in a postponed round 9 match, with goals from J. Martínez, N. Benedetti and Titi; they are unbeaten in ten matches and have the best defence, with nine goals conceded. According to El País, a win would take them to 32 points and all but assure them of a place in the cuadrangulares. Cali have won only one of the last five meetings, in the 2024 Copa Colombia; in the league the sides drew 1–1 at Cali's ground in March 2026 and in July 2025, and Fortaleza won 1–0 at home in February 2025.

Alianza Valledupar v Internacional de Bogotá (16:05 Bogotá time). At the Armando Maestre Pavajeau. Alianza Valledupar, 14th on 15 points, won 1–0 in Pasto with a goal from I. Alba and finished with ten men after Déinner Quiñones was sent off on 90+3. Internacional de Bogotá, 12th on 17, beat Fortaleza 2–1 with goals from R. Julio and D. S. Victoria, despite Larry Vásquez being sent off on 70; they are unbeaten in four matches but have not won away (five draws and two defeats). Internacional won 2–1 at home in April 2026; in October 2025 Alianza won 2–0 at home.

Atlético Nacional v Independiente Medellín (18:10 Bogotá time). At the Atanasio Girardot. Nacional lead on 29 points from 14 matches, one match fewer than Cali, and are unbeaten at home (four wins and two draws). On Thursday they beat Pasto 3–0, in a postponed round 14 match, with goals from E. Cardona, R. Escorcia and J. Rengifo, after losing 1–0 in Cúcuta; A. Morelos has 14 goals and, according to Semana, the coach, Lucas González, confirmed he will be back from a muscle injury for the clásico, as will Andrés Sarmiento, while Marlos Moreno is a doubt. James Rodríguez was left out of the squad against Pasto; Semana says the coach was saving him for the clásico. Following a decision by the Mesa de Convivencia, both sets of fans will be allowed into the stadium, Infobae reports. Medellín, seventh on 23, lost 2–0 at home to Once Caldas and have lost three of their last five matches. Nacional are unbeaten in the last five derbies: they won 3–2 on 14 October in the Copa Colombia quarter-finals, 3–2 away in the league in April, and the 2025 Copa Colombia final (0–0 and 1–0).

Deportes Tolima v Deportivo Pasto (20:15 Bogotá time). At the Manuel Murillo Toro. Deportes Tolima, tenth on 20 points from 15 matches, lost 2–1 in Rionegro to a penalty on 90 and are without a win in eight matches; after that defeat their coach, Luis Fernando Suárez, warned, according to Infobae: ‘Either we change or they change us’. Deportivo Pasto are bottom on nine, have lost their last two matches, including Thursday's 3–0 defeat in Medellín, and have scored the fewest goals, nine. Tolima won both meetings in May 2026, 1–0 at home and 2–0 away; in April, Pasto won 1–0 at home.

Monday 26 October

Jaguares v Llaneros (18:00 Bogotá time). At the Jaraguay in Montería. Jaguares are 19th on 10 points, have lost their last two matches, 4–1 to Millonarios at El Campín and 2–1 to Santa Fe on Wednesday, and have the worst defence, with 28 goals conceded. Llaneros, 13th on 17, beat Santa Fe 1–0 and on Wednesday lost 3–0 at home to Cali, with Howell Mena sent off on 80; away from home they have won one of seven matches. Llaneros won 2–0 at home in March 2026; the four meetings before that were in the Copa Colombia.

The table before Friday

The top eight go through to the cuadrangulares. The teams have not all played the same number of matches: Bucaramanga have played 13; Millonarios, 16.

1. Atlético Nacional, 29 points (14 matches, +16)
2. Deportivo Cali, 29 (15, +14)
3. América de Cali, 28 (14, +16)
4. Millonarios, 26 (16, +10)
5. Bucaramanga, 25 (13, +10)
6. Santa Fe, 25 (14, +7)
7. Independiente Medellín, 23 (14, +2)
8. Cúcuta, 21 (14, −2)
9. Once Caldas, 20 (15, +2)
10. Deportes Tolima, 20 (15, 0)
11. Águilas Doradas, 19 (14, 0)

At the bottom, Chicó (12 points), Fortaleza (11), Jaguares (10) and Pasto (9) occupy the last four places.

Numbers to know

• A. Estupiñán (Millonarios) has 19 goals, one more than Y. Guzmán (América); D. Moreno (Once Caldas) and L. Muriel (Junior) have 16.
• Cali have conceded nine goals, the fewest; Jaguares, 28, the most.
• Cúcuta have won four in a row; Cali are unbeaten in ten matches.
• Fortaleza are without a win in ten matches and Tolima in eight.

The full table and the kick-off times for the whole round are on the Liga BetPlay page.

Sources for the context: Semana, Semana, El País, Infobae, Infobae, Infobae.