Atlético Nacional Parts Ways with Gandolfi Due to Foreign Player Misstep

Javier Gandolfi has been removed from his position as head coach of Atlético Nacional after an odd situation in Colombian football. The former River Plate defender, who was once considered for an assistant role with Martín Demichelis, lost his job after including too many foreign players in a league match.

Gandolfi’s overall record wasn’t bad. Since he took over in January, he coached 51 matches, achieving 23 wins, 15 draws, and 13 losses. He led Nacional to the round of 16 in the Copa Libertadores, but they were eliminated on penalties by São Paulo. In the domestic league, his team was seventh after 11 rounds and fourth in the aggregate table, qualifying for the Copa Sudamericana.

However, there were already tensions between him and the board. The final straw came during last weekend’s home loss to Atlético Bucaramanga, when Gandolfi fielded four foreign players, despite the rules permitting only three. Camilo Cándido and Juan Bauza started, while Billy Arce and Facundo Batista were substitutes. “I didn’t realize we had three already on the field. There are no excuses,” Gandolfi acknowledged afterward.

His departure concludes a 240-day tenure filled with competitive results but also internal issues. At 44, Gandolfi had made a name for himself at Talleres de Córdoba and was rumored in 2023 to join Demichelis’ team at River Plate, although that did not happen.

His time in Medellín leaves a mixed impression: competitive achievements and progress in continental play overshadowed by a regulatory mistake that hastened his exit from one of Colombia’s top clubs.