On July 5th at 9 am, the quarterfinals of the Copa América will kick off with Ecuador taking on Argentina. Ahead of the game, Ecuador’s coach, San Martín de Porres Sánchez, held a press conference. He stated that this encounter is a match that could rewrite national history and mentioned that whether Lionel Messi plays or not won’t affect their preparation strategy.
Sánchez said during the press conference, “With only 24 hours left before such an important match, my mind is entirely focused on the battle ahead. This is a game that can be inscribed in our country’s history. We’ve been away from home for over thirty days, but all I can think about is tomorrow’s match. My goal is to have the players deliver a great performance, to play an exciting game, and bring joy to the fans.”
Regarding the uncertainty surrounding Messi’s availability, Sánchez was straightforward: “We know we’re up against a top-level team. Obviously, Messi is a player like no other, someone who can make a significant impact tomorrow. But I believe that, regardless of whether he plays or not, our approach to the game won’t change drastically.
“Argentina has been working with the same coach for a long time. They’ve built a great squad with a clear playing style. We must prepare for all scenarios, adapting to contain them, whether Messi is on the pitch or not.”
