James Rodríguez keeps his starting spot for Nacional despite losing Arango, Morelos and Marlos Moreno

Without a home stadium and with half its attacking corps in the treatment room, Atlético Nacional has no excuses left to hide behind: today it visits Deportes Tolima at Ditaires for another matchday of the Liga BetPlay, and it does so with one piece of news that has the green faithful excited despite everything else: James Rodríguez is back in the starting lineup.

October's schedule is piling up fast for Lucas González's team, which opens this stretch of games away from its usual home. El Atanasio was unavailable due to other events, so the month's first test has to be played on Pijao's turf.

And it has to be played, on top of that, with some costly absences up front. Chicho Arango will be unavailable for the rest of the season due to a significant injury, a tough blow for any offensive game plan. Joining him on the sidelines are Alfredo Morelos and Marlos Moreno, both ruled out with physical issues. Three key names missing from the attack is a number that stings, and it forces Nacional to rethink things a bit up top for this match.

Amid that tough outlook, there is one name that does appear on the list and that stirs excitement every time he steps onto the field: James Rodríguez. The midfielder joined the Verde this season and, match by match, has been showing why he remains a difference maker. Today he starts again, a fixture in Lucas González's setup.

The confirmed lineups

To face Tolima, Nacional will send out Armani in goal; a back four made up of Román, Parra, Haydar and Casco; in midfield, Cabrera and Campuzano as the double pivot; and up top, a four man attacking group with Cardona, James Rodríguez, Perlaza and Poveda.

On the other side, Deportes Tolima will field Volpi in goal, with Mosquera, Martínez, Angulo and Barbosa across the back line. In the middle of the park will be Guzmán and Rovira, while Pijao's attacking front will be made up of Valencia, Sánchez and Hernández, with Aguayo as the central reference point up top.

With three key absences in attack, the challenge for Nacional is clear: make up for the missing individual talent up front with collective organization. That is where James's responsibility comes in, called upon to be the creative engine of a team that needs points on a matchday that offers no breathing room.