Barcelona SC will have 50% capacity against Montevideo City Torque in Guayaquil for Copa Libertadores

The revenge duel between Barcelona Sporting Club and Montevideo City Torque, for phase 1 (qualifying) of the Copa Libertadores de América, will be played with the public at the Monumental Banco Pichincha stadium, next Tuesday, February 15 (7:30 p.m.).

The national Emergency Operations Committee (COE) authorized this fact with a suggested capacity of 50% of the capacity of the bullfighting arena.

“We have approved in the Barcelona match that he will have with the Uruguayan club, which is a Conmebol event with a suggested capacity of 50%therefore, the municipalities will be able to generate the permits by complying with all the requirements,” said Juan Zapata, president of the National COE, at a press conference this Wednesday.

Barcelona had asked the COE to authorize 60% of the capacity.

In a letter signed on Tuesday by Carlos Alfaro Moreno, president of the Guayaquil club, and sent to Juan Zapata, the main authority of the COE, “the corresponding authorization was requested to have a limited capacity of 60% (sixty percent) of the capacity total of the Banco Pichincha Stadium, applicable for the Copa Conmebol Libertadores match, to be held next Tuesday”.

According to the website of the Professional Soccer League of Ecuador (LigaPro), the capacity of the Canarian stage is 59,283 people. 60% of the capacity is equivalent to 35,570 spectators, while 50% is approximately 30 thousand.

In its request to the COE, Barcelona mentioned the Yellow Night 2022 as a precedent, which last Saturday, January 29, was presented with 50% of the capacity of the stadium inaugurated in May 1988 and which has since modified its official capacity.

“The organization of the Noche Amarilla sporting event allowed our institution to demonstrate its capacity to execute and comply with the biosanitary protocol and the respective measures ordered by the competent authorities, with which we reaffirm our commitment to the general public and the fans of the club” , indicated the document signed by Alfaro Moreno.

The communication also recalled that the national COE established on February 2 “the guidelines so that in the cantons that are in yellow and green, massive public events can be held with a capacity of 60%, epidemiological situation in which the city of Guayaquil is currently”.

Barcelona will define its key to phase 1 of the Libertadores against Torque at the Monumental Banco Pichincha. On the night of Tuesday, February 8, both teams tied at 1 at the Centenario stadium, in Montevideo. The winner of the series will play the second qualifying round against Universitario de Perú. (D)