Macará will try to stop Independiente del Valle from celebrating the title on Saturday at the Estadio Bellavista in Ambato, and Jorge Salazar made the message plain: “Ellos se merecen dar la vuelta olímpica, pero no va a ser en Ambato.” It is the kind of line that turns a regular fixture into a match with a celebration waiting on one side and a blockade on the other.
That is why Macará vs Independiente del Valle is drawing attention now. Salazar is not hiding the scale of the opponent’s campaign, but he is also setting a clear line for the home side. Independiente del Valle is close enough that a title celebration is being spoken about openly, which makes Saturday in Ambato the stage for more than three points. It is about whether the visitors leave with the moment they want, or whether Macará delays it in front of its own supporters.
Salazar also pointed to what comes after the match, saying the club is already looking at renewals and possible transfers for next season. He said several players want to stay at Macará if the team reaches direct qualification to the Copa Libertadores, and that same intention also extends to the coaching staff. That keeps the conversation from stopping at Saturday’s result. For Macará, the game is wrapped into a broader question about continuity, planning and whether this group can be held together long enough to build on what has already been done.
He thanked the fans for the backing they gave during the Copa Sudamericana and said that support came not only in Ambato but also in matches played in Perú, Argentina, Brasil and Colombia. That matters because the club’s immediate message is not just about resisting a title celebration; it is about asking the same supporters to stay engaged while the squad’s future is being reviewed. Salazar’s remarks leave little doubt that Macará sees this as a finishing point and a starting point at once.
The unresolved part is simple. Independiente del Valle are close enough for the title to be discussed in public, but Salazar has made clear that if the celebration happens, it will not happen in Ambato. Saturday at the Estadio Bellavista will show whether Macará can turn that promise into a result, or whether the visitors leave with the celebration they came for.
