Nacional visits Internacional with hopes of seeing James Rodriguez back on the field

El Campin is buzzing with anticipation for a reason that goes well beyond three points. Internacional de Bogota hosts Nacional this Wednesday, September 16 at 8:20 p.m., in a match moved up from matchday 13 of the BetPlay League, and everything suggests the day could be remembered for James Rodriguez's return to Colombian soccer.

The Colombian national team captain has taken part in several training sessions with the squad in Medellin, and reports indicate he will receive his first call-up of the season with the green and whites. There is little need to explain the fever this has caused: tickets for the match at the capital's stadium are already sold out.

Beyond James's possible debut, there is also the standings to consider. Nacional arrives with 15 points and, no small detail, three fewer matches played than league leader America. A win in Bogota would mean a fifth straight victory for the Antioquia side, a run that would put them right on the heels of the top of the FPC.

The names that could decide the match

On the home side, all eyes are on Yojan Garces. The forward snapped a four-game drawing streak with a late goal that gave Internacional a 3-2 win over Llaneros in Techo, a result that came down to the wire but was enough to collect all three points.

On the other side is Ian Poveda, who will face his former club eager to make an impact. His pace on the wings already proved decisive in the previous match: it was Poveda who drew the penalty that opened the scoring in the home win over Aguilas.

Internacional de Bogota sits tenth with 11 points and comes into this one still finding its footing despite the win. Nacional, on the other hand, boasts numbers that back up its surge: it has the league's stingiest defense, having allowed just four goals in six matches, and up front has already scored 14 goals. Lucas Gonzalez's team is unbeaten in its last four matches and comes off a 2-0 win over Aguilas.

Despite the strong numbers, Gonzalez isn't easing up. After the win over Aguilas, he offered a reflection that shows just how demanding he is with his squad:

I'm never going to be satisfied. When you look at Aguilas, you see they were the team that created the most scoring chances and had more possession of the ball. I have the feeling I would have liked us to win the ball back faster, there were moments when I felt we took too long to recover it.Lucas Gonzalez

The most recent meeting between the two clubs clearly favors the green side: on May 12, 2026, Nacional routed Internacional 7-1, with goals from Simon Garcia, Matheus Uribe, Alfredo Morelos, Cristian Arango, Edwin Cardona and Andres Sarmiento. With that fresh history and James set to be the headline act, the atmosphere at El Campin promises to be charged with tension, and the match already has all the makings of the most talked about game of the matchday. It can be watched live on WIN.