Marcelo Bielsa on La Tri: Ecuador is a brave team, difficult to face

Among the leaders of the South American qualification cycle the first date is over, Uruguay is visiting Ecuador team on Tuesday in Quito. La Celeste arrive on the back of a clean 3-1 win over Chile, but their next opponent is “not easy”, their coach Marcelo Bielsa said.

DT He emphasized the innate quality of his team, Having only had one training session with the full squad, there was little that could be done, which is why he assured that “none of what the team showed was a product of the impact of their work.”

The Bielsa era begins with Uruguay’s 3-1 win over Chile in the first leg of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Those conditions They will be tested against rivals who will have the 2,800-meter Quito as an allybut it also stands out due to the conditions and the route.

“Ecuador is a very brave team, with players who have obviously grown up and reached important places in European football,” said the Argentine, who took over at La Celeste in May.

De la Tri also added that “it is a tough team to face, with a lot of physical strength and individuality unevenness in the creative aspect and defensive aggressiveness.”

The Ecuadorian team lost 1-0 in its debut away to Argentinaby Lionel Messi’s goal in the last part of the match.

“It’s a team that defends well and has the ability to create options in attack. It was reflected in the match with Argentina,” commented Bielsa.

Uruguay beat La Roja at home with the double of Nicolás de la Cruz and the same Federico Valverde. The Chilean discount was from Arturo Vidal.

The Ecuador national team is concentrated in Quito and is aiming for the match against Uruguay

“At the beginning of the game, it took us 15 minutes to dominate, and after their goal there was also a segment in which we suffered. The match could have ended with a bigger difference in our favor, but it could have been with a smaller difference”, he commented. (D)

South American qualifiers 2026