Néstor Lorenzo would have cleared the doubts in defence. Lukumi’s mate: Cuesta, Dita or Yerry?
The Colombian national team will face Paraguay in Asuncion on Tuesday, November 21, in matchday six of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Coach Nestor Lorenzo will make forced changes due to the return of John Arias to the starting lineup, an injury to Daveer Machado (left back) and the suspension of defensive back Davinson Sanchez.
And by assembling his team from the back to the front, the coach will have already resolved a major doubt as to who will partner John Jenner Lukumi in the centre-back pairing. So, he has three options: Yerry Mina, Carlos Cuesta and Villar Ditta, defenders who are in the squad.
The decision would have been taken as per the recent practices of the national team. Although Yerry Mina has more experience than the other defenders, the starter for Colombia’s XI against the Guaranés will be Carlos Cuesta, defender of Belgium’s Jenkin, who has had more regularity this season.
In addition, Cuesta knows Daniel Muñoz and Lucumi himself, as all three played for the Belgian team until recently. Now Lukumi spent two seasons with Bologna in Italy, but they spent two years in the same team.