Barcelona will host Liga de Quito at the Monumental Stadium this Sunday, November 23, in the sixth round of the first hexagonal of the Liga Ecuabet. The match is set to kick off at 15:30.
The significance of this Liga Ecuabet clash is heightened due to the competition for the second place in the standings, which offers a direct ticket to the group phase of the CONMEBOL Libertadores. Currently, both Barcelona and Liga de Quito are tied with 61 points, trailing Independiente by 12 points. As both teams vie for that crucial second spot, the third-placed team will need to go through the preliminary tournament. Liga de Quito is coming into this match with a stronger recent performance, while Barcelona has secured two victories in the hexagonal after five rounds.
Notable players to watch in the Barcelona vs. Liga de Quito match include Ignacio De Arruabarrena, who protects the goal for Barcelona, with defenders Xavier Arreaga and Gastón Campi. Midfielders Jean Carlo Montaño and Jhonny Quiñónez are key players, along with forward trio Joaquín Valiente, Janner Corozo, and Miguel Parrales.
For Liga de Quito, Alexander Domínguez will be the starting goalkeeper. Ricardo Adé returns to bolster the defense alongside Richard Mina. Midfield contributions will come from Carlos Gruezo and Gabriel Villamil, while the attacking line features Bryan Ramírez, Lisandro Alzugaray, and Jeison Medina.
Both teams arrive at this match with optimism; Barcelona triumphed in their last outing with a 2-1 win against Orense in Machala, while Liga de Quito secured a home victory of 2-0 over Deportivo Cuenca. Additionally, Tiago Nunes’ squad had a successful week in the Copa Ecuador, where they defeated Emelec 2-1 in the first leg of the semifinals.
In their previous encounter during the first hexagonal, Liga de Quito triumphed over Barcelona with a decisive 3-0 win on October 17 in Quito. Goals from Carlos Gruezo, Bryan Ramírez, and José Quintero secured the victory for the Albos.
Fans can catch the action live on Zapping and EcuadorTV as the match unfolds on November 23 at 15:30. The duel promises to be an intense and pivotal moment in the league’s race for a coveted spot in the Libertadores.