The University of Chile is ready for a challenging 2026. The first main goal for Paki Meneghini’s side is to secure their place in the group stages of the Copa Sudamericana. To achieve this goal, the Blues must first defeat Palestine in a single play-off, which will be played behind closed doors at the National Stadium.
However, management and fans are interested in more than just qualifying. Mathematically speaking, the “U” would likely move into the first pot of the draw, which would allow them to be seeded and avoid their strongest opponents in the initial stages.
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necessary external consequences
Whether a university team can become a seeded team depends not only on its own performance, but also on a series of results in other countries’ qualifiers. The “U” team needs two surprises in Colombia: Millionaires knocking out Atlético Nacional and Atlético Bucaramanga overtaking América de Cali.
In addition, in the Paraguayan round, it is crucial for the mediocre Sporting Trinidad team to defeat the historic Olimpia team. Only if these three conditions are met, the Blues will rise in the rankings and share privileges with continental giants such as River Plate, Athletic Club, Sao Paulo and Santos.
A crucial start to the season
If these combinations don’t happen, Universidad de Chile will fall into a lower position, increasing its chances of facing a strong team from Brazil or Argentina early on. At the same time, Meneghini’s coaching staff continues to adjust the lineup, having approved the first new signing and excluding another new signing, with the aim of restoring the international reputation of the “Romantic Travelers”.
This article was translated into English by artificial intelligence. You can read the original version here 🇪🇸.
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