Who Is Juan Pablo Patiño, the Colombian Left-Back Eyed by Nacional?

With Gabriel Báez potentially leaving, Nacional has set its sights on Juan Pablo Patiño, a 26-year-old Colombian left-back currently playing for Once Caldas. The Uruguayan club will move forward with talks after he completes his Copa Sudamericana playoff series against San Antonio Bulo Bulo, scheduled for July 17 and 23.

Patiño, under contract until 2027, has been a mainstay for Once Caldas this year, starting all 28 matches he’s played in both league and international competitions. He’s logged over 2,400 minutes and has only been subbed off twice. While not known for offensive flair—he has just one assist this season and no goals—he offers reliability, tactical discipline, and positional versatility.

Throughout his career, which includes stints at Cúcuta Deportivo, Bogotá FC, Alianza FC, and Once Caldas, he has featured in 135 matches, primarily as a left-back, but also occasionally as a winger or central midfielder.

According to Sofascore, Patiño has produced 16 key passes in 2024, though his crossing accuracy (21.1%) and long-ball success rate (29.5%) indicate a more measured, less adventurous style than Báez. Defensively, he's made 25 interceptions, won 27 aerial duels, and hasn’t made any errors leading to goals.

Nacional is considering acquiring a portion of his rights, following a model similar to the one used for fellow Colombian Julián Millán. Whether Patiño joins will largely depend on whether Báez secures a move abroad.