The blues aim to rebound from their recent setback and solidify their position near the top of the table.
The Santa Laura venue will host a clash between Universidad de Chile and Palestino this Saturday, with kick-off at 8 p.m., as part of the eighteenth round of the 2023 National Championship.
The blue team travels to Independencia with a strong desire to recover after a 3-0 defeat to Unión Española, a result that marked the first win of Mauricio Pellegrino’s era on the bench and represented the worst loss in the last 18 league games for the students. The match underscored the need for a better performance on the road and a return to familiar consistency for the captain side.
In the closing stages of the defeat, Ariel Uribe and Rodrigo Piñeiro each found the back of the net to halt a four-match unbeaten streak for the visitors, preventing them from claiming top spot. At present, the club sits in third place with 29 points, three points behind Cobresal, which continues to lead the table.
Palestino, on the other hand, arrives from a close draw away at Municipal de La Cisterna, where they watched a late winner slip from their grasp. Joe Abrigo provided the breakthrough for the home side, only to see Rodrigo Holgado salvage a 1-1 result for the visitors in stoppage time. The result left Palestino in ninth place with 23 points, two shy of the qualification spots for international competition.
Across historical meetings, the two clubs have faced each other 149 times in the Primera Division, with Universidad de Chile claiming 70 victories and 271 goals scored against Palestino, who have registered 34 wins and 190 goals. There have been 45 draws in the long-standing rivalry. In recent history, the balance tilts slightly in favor of Palestino’s opponents, as Chilean cup rivals have claimed three wins in the last several bouts, while Palestino has secured one win and scored eight goals in those encounters. The most recent meeting took place on February 5, ending 2-0 for Universidad de Chile, with goals by Misael Dávila and Bruno Barticciotto.
THE FORMATIONS AND REPLACEMENTS
THIS IS HOW THE TABLE WORKS
Note: The information above reflects the standings and past results as compiled by the league records and match reports, offering a snapshot of how teams accumulate points and position themselves in the championship race.