With only three dates left, every detail starts to matter a little more, and Emelec’s preparation for Libertad FC vs Emelec has been built around that reality. Ezequiel Medrán said the team has spent the week putting more emphasis on recovery than on heavy workload, while also using specific tactical exercises to make sure the group arrives ready for Thursday’s match at 19:00 in Loja.
That approach makes sense at this stage of the tournament. Medrán said he has only directed one previous match with Club Sport Emelec, so this second outing arrives in a setting where the margin for adjustment is still small. The priority, in his words, has been to gain time in recovery and prepare the details that the match will require. He stressed that the team hopes to carry that work onto the pitch and be at the level needed to compete.
The biggest confirmed absence is Guerrico, who will miss the game with a muscular strain. That is not a small blow when a team is trying to keep its rhythm in the final stretch, especially against a Libertad FC side that Medrán described as strong at home and in good form during the closing phase of the competition. He noted that the opponent has been collecting positive results, building itself into a side with ambition to fight higher up the table.
What Medrán is looking for
Medrán also made clear that his approach will remain flexible. He said he is open in terms of what his team proposes, always trying to choose the best options for the field and to manage the 90 or 100 minutes the match may demand. He added that the system has been varied over time, with player performance taking priority over any fixed shape.
That is an important point because the final weeks of a season often expose the difference between theory and execution. A coach can prepare for an opponent’s strengths, but the real test is whether the squad can translate recovery work and tactical adjustments into control when the match starts to stretch. Against a home team that has been competing well, Emelec will need that balance to hold.
The broader picture is straightforward: Emelec still needs points to remain in an expectant position, and Thursday’s trip to the estadio Reina del Cisne de Loja is another chance to keep that objective alive. Medrán’s comments suggest a team trying to be practical rather than flashy, with recovery, structure and adaptability all placed above noise. At this stage of the tournament, that may be the most sensible plan available.
