Millonarios did not reach the goals stipulated for 2020. They did not qualify for the final phase of the BetPlay League, they did not have a good presentation in the South American Cup and they did not qualify for any international tournament by reclassification or the BetPlay League. Even so, two of the youths who played with the Bogota team managed to stand out.
The footballers who stood out in Alberto Gamero’s team were Emerson Rodríguez and Kliver Moreno. Both of them they found their place due to the departure of some players, or the bad moment of others, but they knew how to stay as headlines.
Rodríguez and Moreno achieved numbers to be among the best sub 21s on the continent in their respective positions according to the Sudanalytics page.
Emerson Rodríguez, dribbler in the service of Millionaires
The 20-year-old winger played his first match with Millonarios on date 12 of the tournament 2020 against Deportes Tolima entering the second half to replace Paraguayan Diego Godoy. It did not take long to demonstrate his ability to face opponents and his great speed. Two games later he was already the undisputed starter for Gamero.
Rodríguez played 18 games throughout 2020 in which he scored three goals and gave six assists. Among the players under 21 of the leagues of Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile, was the fourth with the most goal passes. He was surpassed by Gabriel Menino (eight), Wesley (seven), both from Palmeiras from Brazil, and Carlos Palacios (six assists and seven goals) from the Unión Española de Chile.
Kliver Moreno, the replacement for John Duque
After the departure of Jhon Duque to Mexican football, doubts about the Bogota team’s midfield grew. The good presentations of Stiven Vega were not enough to reassure the fans since it was not very clear who could replace the captain of the Bogota team. Then, Kliver Moreno emerged.
The 20-year-old midfielder had played el South American sub 20 of 2019 with the Colombian National TeamBut he hadn’t had his big break with Millionaires. After the departure of Duque, he entered the starting line-up and took over the blue midfield by playing 514 of the 560 minutes that the club played.
In 2020 he played 15 games in which he did not register goals or assists. However, reached an average of 7.07 duels won per game, the second highest among under-21 players in the five most important leagues in South America. The only one who surpassed it was Marcelino Núñez from the Universidad Católica de Chile.
With what was shown in 2020 and with the confidence of the coach, both Rodríguez and Moreno could be a vital part of the Millionaires project for 2021. The arrival of Fredy Guarín and Harrison Mojica could help the juniors grow in their game.
Millonarios will debut in the BetPlay League 2021-I against Envigado in the stadium El Campín de Bogotá with schedule yet to be confirmed.
