A reduced group of eight players from the Ecuador national team has been training since last Monday at the Casa de la Selección in the northeastern part of Quito, one of the cities most affected by the protests against the government, after it announced economic measures on October 1.
The renewed Tricolor is working towards the match against Argentina, which will take place this Sunday (09:00 Ecuador time) at the Manuel Martínez Valero stadium in Elche, Spain.
The Ecuadorian Football Federation plans for the delegation to travel today (10:00) to Guayaquil and depart from there at 17:55 to Spain, as confirmed by the Press Department of the institution.
Left-back Pervis Estupiñán will join the group in Elche, coming from Pamplona, as he plays for Osasuna, a club based in that city.
Happy to return to the National Team, which we love and with which we aspire to achieve great things. We are doing very well. Pedro Ortiz, Ecuador goalkeeper.
The other ten players called up by interim coach Jorge Célico will travel directly to the match venue from Brazil, Mexico, USA, Portugal, and the Netherlands, where they play.
"We invite Ecuadorians in Spain to support this new team that wants to do things the best way possible, and above all, loves this jersey," said goalkeeper Pedro Ortiz, in statements shared by the Ecuadorian Football Federation, since yesterday's press conference was canceled due to the ongoing protests in the capital.
For the match against Argentina, the Delfín player will have to compete for the starting position with Johan Padilla from El Nacional, a rival whom Ortiz described as "very difficult".
The match will serve Célico to assess the under-23 players who will be in the Pre-Olympics in Colombia, to be played in January. Additionally, he will be able to make an analysis, to inform the new coach, of which players are ready for the qualifying rounds for the 2022 World Cup, which will be in March.
Matías Zaracho, the latest absence for Argentina
Without star Lionel Messi or players from Boca Juniors and River Plate, Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni will also not be able to count on midfielder Matías Zaracho due to a muscle injury, for the match against Ecuador next Sunday in Elche, Spain.
"I can't have so much bad luck," wrote the outstanding player from Racing Club de Avellaneda (Argentina) on his Instagram account, accompanying the text with emoticons of anger, sadness, and one on the verge of tears.
Zaracho's discomfort stems from the fact that he also missed the Copa America in Brazil due to an injury, and now he will not be able to play against Germany, in a match that will take place today on German territory.
The first absence in the Albiceleste was already known, Lionel Messi, who was suspended for three months for harshly criticizing CONMEBOL during the Copa America.
In addition, Scaloni did not call up players from Boca Juniors and River Plate, who are preparing to play the second leg of the Copa Libertadores semifinals. In the first leg, River Plate won 2-0.
In this context, the only Superliga Argentina player under the coach's orders for the tour is midfielder Nicolás Domínguez from Vélez Sarsfield. (D)