Fredy Montero told reporters on the eve of the second leg that Real Cartagena will not sit back — they will try to win outright — even though Envigado FC arrive with a 3-2 aggregate lead.
Envigado FC is being searched now because the club hosts the decisive match in the Torneo BetPlay final: the return leg is set for Friday, May 29, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. at Polideportivo Sur and will determine the title and promotion outcome.
Montero, the team's leading figure this season with 16 goals and two assists in 19 matches, framed the plan plainly at the pre-match press conference: create chances early, score first and correct the defensive lapses that cost them in the first leg. "Necesitamos temprano en el partido crear opciones de gol para ponerlos en duda y empezar a crear esa confianza que necesitamos por 90 minutos," he said, and added, "Cuando tengamos esas opciones de gol necesitamos concretarlas porque al final eso es lo que nos va a dar la victoria."
The numbers underline why Cartagena depends on Montero. His output has driven the club through the knockout rounds and he said his head is on the title, not on any personal scoring prize: "Mi cabeza está más pendiente del título que de ese logro individual." He followed that with a personal promise — in English and Spanish — to his daughter: "Don't worry, I got this. No te preocupes, yo tengo esto."
Still, the scoreboard from the first leg sits between conviction and reality. Envigado FC lead the series 3-2, a slim margin that forces Cartagena to chase on the road. Montero acknowledged Envigado's approach in Cartagena — "Envigado fue a Cartagena y propuso" — and warned that the visitors must tighten defensively while finishing chances more reliably. "No hay nada que guardarnos, tenemos que salir a ganar sí o sí," he said, insisting the side will treat Friday as if it were their last match with the club.
That insistence collides with a pragmatic obstacle: overturning a one-goal deficit away from home. Envigado’s advantage makes Cartagena’s margin for error vanishingly small; concede early, and Montero’s call to attack becomes a high-stakes gamble. Montero tried to resolve the contradiction by stressing experience over youthful energy — "Quizás en el primero fue importante la juventud y la energía, pero para cerrar la llave es mucho más importante la experiencia" — and by returning the focus to converting chances rather than sitting on possession.
Coach selection and the identity of the goals remain open questions. Montero said the team must start strong and put Envigado on edge by scoring first, but he stopped short of naming a specific plan or predicting who will break the deadlock. He reiterated faith in the squad: "Estamos todos convencidos y tenemos fe de que este equipo puede remontar este resultado," and framed his role as deliverer rather than contender: "Mi promesa siempre fue darlo todo y entregarle mis goles a la institución."
The immediate consequence is simple: Cartagena must score at Polideportivo Sur on Friday at 3:00 p.m. and hope to do so without repeating the defensive errors Montero singled out. The most consequential unanswered question heading into the match is whether Montero’s scoring form and experience can erase Envigado FC's 3-2 cushion — and which player will supply the decisive goal that separates a comeback from a near miss.
