Colombian soccer rivals set for second doubleheader at FIU Stadium

The second set of doubleheaders between Colombia’s most popular club soccer teams will take place Saturday at FIU Stadium.

And this time, it’s personal.

After 100-plus years, fans will finally see crosstown rivals meet on the same day and in the same stadium in this edition of the “Clásico” matches. Medellín will face Atlético Nacional at 4 p.m., and America plays Cali at 7 p.m.

These matches are but preseason tuneups for these teams, but that won’t prevent a slice of South Florida’s vast Colombian population from showing up to witness the “Clásicos”.

A small, yet energetic crowd attended Wednesday’s Cali-Medellín and Atlético-America matchups. In the early game, Cali tied Medellín 0-0. Nacional would later grab a 2-0 win over America.

The atmosphere, though, was as much a story as the final scorelines. Fans sang and jumped around throughout the matches as they enjoyed their teams’ play and the Colombian food served in the concourse. Matches on Saturday, however, should more resemble a typical meeting between these teams. A near-sellout crowd is expected, organizers said Tuesday.

Tickets for Saturday’s doubleheader are available at losclasicos.futbol for $42.

This story was originally published January 15, 2016 at 6:55 PM with the headline "Colombian soccer rivals set for second doubleheader at FIU Stadium."