Gandolfi Dismissed by Atlético Nacional Over Foreign Player Error

Javier Gandolfi has been dismissed as head coach of Atlético Nacional after an unusual incident in Colombian football. The former River Plate defender, once linked as a potential assistant to Martín Demichelis, lost his job after fielding too many foreign players in a league match.

Gandolfi’s overall record was far from poor. Since taking charge in January, he managed 51 matches, securing 23 wins, 15 draws and 13 defeats. He guided Nacional to the round of 16 in the Copa Libertadores, only to fall on penalties to São Paulo, and in the domestic competition his team stood seventh after 11 rounds, fourth in the aggregate table and within Copa Sudamericana qualification.

But internal disagreements with the board had already strained relations. The decisive blow came during last weekend’s defeat at home to Atlético Bucaramanga, when Gandolfi fielded four foreigners despite the regulation allowing only three. Camilo Cándido and Juan Bauza started, while Billy Arce and Facundo Batista came on as substitutes. “I didn’t take into account that we already had three on the pitch. There are no excuses,” Gandolfi admitted afterward.

The dismissal ends a 240-day tenure marked by competitive performances but also off-field friction. At 44, Gandolfi had previously impressed at Talleres de Córdoba and in 2023 was rumored to join Demichelis’ staff at River Plate, though that never materialized.

His spell in Medellín leaves a mixed legacy: competitive results and continental progress overshadowed by a regulatory lapse that accelerated his exit from one of Colombia’s biggest clubs.