The board and coaching staff of Independiente del Valle have decided that Kendry Páez, Patrik Mercado, and Yaimar Medina will not travel to Spain, where the team is training, after their participation in the U20 Libertadores.
"We analyzed the situation and we didn't see it necessary to have them here for 3 days. It is preferable for them to rest. We will be with them next week," said Santiago Morales, manager of Independiente del Valle, on radio La Red.
Independiente del Valle gives Kendry Páez a rest
Initially, it was planned for Kendry Páez and the other U20 players to join Independiente del Valle after the U20 Libertadores. They would have arrived just one day before the match against Sevilla in the UEFA CONMEBOL Club Challenge.
Morales specifically spoke about Kendry Páez: "I think Kendry may be overloaded with matches. He is a 16-year-old boy and sometimes he carries a very heavy responsibility. All this serves to analyze and if we did things wrong, we need to correct them."
Páez has been active in several tournaments in 2023, with his club and the national team. He played in the Liga Pro, the U17 South American Championship, the U20 World Cup, the senior Libertadores, and the U20 Libertadores.