Jeremy Sarmiento arrives ‘100% recovered and with options to play’ with the Ecuadorian team at the end of the tie

Midfielder Jeremy Sarmiento, who returns to a call-up for the Ecuadorian national team after missing the last double date (January and February) due to an operation, said on Friday that he arrives one hundred percent recovered with the intention of winning minutes against Paraguay or Argentina.

The midfielder Moisés Caicedo also came from England with Sarmiento, both from the Brighton discipline.

“We are already one hundred percent recovered. The important thing now is to add minutes, that’s why they put me in the sub-23 and I played 45 minutes. The teacher spoke to me and told me that he had a good option against Tottenham (in the Premier League match last Wednesday), but that was not the case, “Sarmiento told local media at the Quito airport.

“I’m here, ready for these two games and give everything to qualify for the World Cup. (The idea) was to play tomorrow (with Brighton’s under-23), but they changed some things for the physiotherapists so that he plays more minutes here. Moi (Caicedo) and I are already here”, he added.

The 19-year-old Spanish-Ecuadorian returns to training with the Tricolor after three months due to hamstring surgery. With his club he reappeared in training in early March.

Sarmiento suffered the hamstring injury on December 1, 2021, for which he underwent surgery. It was during a Premier League match against West Ham United in London, in which the tricolor did not complete fifteen minutes on the pitch.

Pointing to the double date of March, Sarmiento acknowledges that he has had preparation for almost a month, although he recognizes that playing in Guayaquil implies sticking to the humidity of winter. “There are many options to play because I’m already in a month training with the first team and I think I’m going to add minutes. I just came from an injury and it is not easy to play in Guayaquil in all the heat. I come from England, where it’s cold.”

Likewise, he acknowledged that the matches against Paraguay and Argentina and the coming months will be decisive for him with a view to a call to play the World Cup in Qatar. “Since the last date, we are practically one step away and we have to leave it done in this game, it would be great. It has been a dream for me and I want to be there.”

In relation to these confrontations, against the Albirroja, he hopes that the National Team certifies its qualification for the FIFA World Cup, because Argentina “is going to be harder”, “then (we must) try to qualify in that match (against Paraguay)” . (D)