2008 Atlético Nacional season

The 2008 Atlético Nacional season was the club's 61st season since being founded in 1948. Nacional played in the 2008 Copa Libertadores since they won the Copa Mustang consecutively in the previous season (2007), making them the first team in Colombia to achieve this goal since the introduction of the new Copa Mustang format. Oscar Quintabani was the club's manager for the second year in a row. The team roster was almost the same as last year's.

Team Kit
This year Atlético Nacional will be changing manufacturers since their contract with Umbro expired; this year they will be featuring Marathon Sports as their new manufacturing sponsor. However, Postobón is still going to be their main shirt sponsor, making this their ninth year sponsoring the club.


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Copa Mustang-I
As of January 18, 2008

Copa Mustang-II
As of May 24, 2008

(Captain)

(vice-captain)

Transfers
In:
 * David Córdoba From Cúcuta Deportivo
 * Juan Carlos Ramirez  From Santa Fe
 * Walter José Moreno From Cúcuta Deportivo
 * Carlos Villagra From Millonarios
 * Francisco Arrué From 🇨🇱 Universidad de Chile
 * Eduardo Blandón From Millonarios
 * Giovanni Moreno From Envigado Fútbol Club
 * Jairo Palomino From Envigado Fútbol Club
 * Jhon Charría From Deportes Tolima
 * Carlos Rentería ''From Atlético Huila

Out:
 * Víctor Aristizábal  Retired
 * Henry Rojas To Huila
 * Oscar Echeverry To New York Red Bulls
 * Andres David Saldarriaga To Cúcuta Deportivo
 * William Zapata To Cúcuta Deportivo
 * Ivan Hurtado To 🇪🇨 Barcelona SC
 * Aldo Ramírez To 🇲🇽 Monarcas Morelia
 * David Ospina Ramírez to 🇫🇷 OGC Nice
 * Camilo Perez to Envigado Fútbol Club
 * Juan Camilo Zuñiga To 🇮🇹 AC Siena

Appearances and goals

 * Last updated on 30 Nov 2008.


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Copa Mustang 2008-I
The Copa Mustang 2008-I began on February 2 and ended on May 18. Atlético Nacional was a firm candidate to win the championship after winning both Colombian championships last year, but eventually had an underwhelming campaign, finishing 14th and missing out on the playoffs.

Copa Mustang 2008-II
The expectations for this season were high, since Nacional had a poor campaign in the previous Copa Mustang tournament. At the beginning of the 2008-II Copa Mustang Nacional was not as successful as it was thought they were going to be; mainly due to many changes in the squad, and this was highlighted by a 5-0 loss against Santa Fe. The club struggled to look for a place in the top 8 during the first half of the tournament. In the other half the club was slightly getting back to shape by making the top 8 on five occasions, and it won its last three games, leading into a 3rd place finish in the last game of the tournament and qualifying to the Quadrangular Semifinals. In the quadrangular, Nacional finished last, without having a single win, and in its closing game against La Equidad at home, the club lost 4-1; only about 10,000 fans showed up to the game to see them lose on their 2008 season final game.

Copa Colombia
Nacional had a decent run in the 2008 Copa Colombia, where they finished first in their group with only 1 loss against rivals DIM, but were unexpectedly eliminated by Primera B club Expreso Rojo in the third phase, which was the club that went the furthest in the tournament out of the clubs that weren't playing in the highest division.

Second phase
Atletico Nacional won 6–2 on aggregate

Third phase
Expreso Rojo won 2–1 on aggregate

Copa Libertadores
Nacional made a good appearance in the 2008 Copa Libertadores. In the group stage they held the first place for the first five games, then in the last one when they lost 1-0 to São Paulo they went down to second place. In the round of 16 they had to play against Fluminense; in the first game Nacional lost at home 1-2, later in the second leg they lost 1-0 to the Brazilian club at Maracanã Stadium, which meant that Fluminense advanced to the next round, and Nacional were eliminated from the tournament.

Round of 16
Fluminense won 3–1 on aggregate.