Ezequiel Medrán said Emelec will go into Thursday’s match against Libertad FC without Guerrico, who is out with a muscle strain, as he tries to keep the team moving in a tight closing stretch of the campaign. The coach said his second game in charge comes at 19:00 at the Reina del Cisne stadium in Loja, where Emelec needs points and a full 90 or 100 minutes of work.
Medrán said the club spent the build-up focused on recovery, then added tactical circuits tied to his style so the side could save time before kickoff. That preparation matters now because Emelec is searching for stability in a match that arrives with little margin and with the coach still shaping how his team should play.
The Argentine coach said the squad has three dates left and must keep adding points to remain in an expectant position. He also said he always looks for the best players for the pitch, gives priority to performance and has already varied the system, a sign that the lineup against Libertad FC may still shift depending on who can absorb the load.
Libertad FC is not offering a simple setting for that adjustment. Medrán said the team knows about the altitude in Loja, but that the bigger challenge is a home side that has been competing very well in the final stretch, collecting good results and showing ambition to fight in the upper part of the table.
That leaves Emelec with a clear task and a clear gap. The team has one confirmed absence, a coach still refining his system and a match that asks for immediate points rather than long-term patience. What happens at the Reina del Cisne will say more about how quickly Medrán can turn recovery work into results than any practice session could.
