Argentina are determined to avoid allowing Ecuador any sweet 16 celebrations after Saturday's quarter-final, having never lost in 15 previous Copa America clashes with La Tri.
Experienced defender Nicolas Otamendi said Argentina would look to provide a platform for their attacking stars, who include the likes of Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martinez, by keeping it tight at the back against the Ecuadorians.
While Argentina topped their group, achieving three wins and a draw from four games, Ecuador scraped through with three draws and a defeat from the pool containing Brazil.
It was a 1-1 draw with an under-strength Brazil in Goiania on Sunday that carried Ecuador into the knockout rounds, and it would be a monumental shock if they beat Argentina.
However, the last-eight clash is also being played in Goiania, at the Estadio Olimpico Pedro Ludovico where Ecuador tamed the Selecao.
Otamendi, the former Manchester City star who now plays club football for Benfica, said: "Defensive solidity gives you a better attack. With the attacking potential we have, it's important to give them security so they can attack calmly.
"We have to try to have defensive order to take advantage of the potential we have from midfield forward."
Otamendi added: "This shirt demands commitment and winning tournaments. You always want to make a mark with your country. We will try to do our best to progress."
Argentina last won the Copa America in 1993 and head coach Lionel Scaloni told a news conference that playmaker Giovani Lo Celso would start Saturday's game.
"Ecuador are rivals of maximum difficulty," Scaloni added. "We must respect them and go out into the field with total humility. It will be a very difficult match."
Ecuador midfielder Jhegson Mendez was outstanding against Brazil, with team highs for possession gained (10 times) and interceptions (3), while finding his man with 48 of 50 passes for a 96 per cent success rate.
It will take something similar to attempt to stifle Argentina, and Mendez said on Friday: "Every game is different, each team has its own approach. We have ours and we will try in midfield to control as much of the game as possible to give ourselves more chances and be 100 per cent concentrated to minimise errors."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Argentina – Lionel Messi
Amid seemingly endless hoopla over when or whether he will sign a new Barcelona contract, Messi is attempting to stay focused on delivering a major trophy for his country. He won an Olympic gold medal with Argentina in 2008 but that feels like a meagre return for his contribution to La Albiceleste. Messi took his tallies to 75 goals and 148 appearances when he struck twice in the group finale against Bolivia. It is beyond obvious that he is the man Ecuador will fear the most.
Ecuador – Jhegson Mendez
Enner Valencia and Angel Mena were excellent going forward against Brazil, but Ecuador's hopes for their clash with a full-strength Argentina are likely to hinge on how they manage the game. If Mendez and his midfield colleagues can show discipline, keep their shape and protect their defence, they will have done exceedingly well. But that will be imperative if they are to somehow pull off a victory.
KEY OPTA FACTS
- Argentina have never lost against Ecuador at the Copa America in 15 games (W10 D5). The Argentinians have scored in 13 of those 15 games. However, this will be the first meeting between the teams in the knockout stage of the competition.
- Argentina have kept three cleen sheets in their last five games against Ecuador in the Copa America (W3 D2). In this period, Argentina have scored 12 goals and only conceded two.
- Ecuador have lost just one of their last five games in the Copa America, including a draw with guest team Japan at the 2019 tournament. However, they are winless in these five matches, with four draws and a defeat.
- Argentina were the only team to score a direct free-kick in the 2021 Copa America group stage. Messi scored this goal against Chile at the start of the competition.
- Messi was the player with the most dribbles completed (22) in the group stage.
Rodri: Messi is the greatest player of all time, without any doubt
Manchester City and Spain star Rodri has suggested that Lionel Messi pipped Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest footballer of all time.
The 28-year-old was recently awarded the 2024 Ballon d'Or as recognition for a period in which he won the Champions League in 2023 and Euro 2024 with Spain the next year.
Ex-Barcelona man Messi has won three of the last four Ballon d'Ors prior to Rodri, with the midfielder claiming that the latter is the greatest "without any doubt" during an interview on Spanish TV.
"Lionel Messi is the greatest player of all time, without any doubt. Cristiano has managed to match Messi without innate talent. But those of us who have played against them can see the difference," said Rodri, speaking to El Hormiguero.
"We didn’t want Cristiano to step into the box because he was lethal there. But with Messi, the danger was everywhere on the pitch."
Ronaldo has scored a total of 928 goals in his career for club and country, winning 34 major trophies including five Champions League titles. He has also won the Ballon d'Or on five occasions.
Messi, meanwhile, has scored 877 goals, won the Champions League on four occasions and the Ballon d'Or five times, most recently in 2023.
Messi is now at Inter Miami, while Rodri is recovering from an ACL injury at Manchester City, although the two faced each other in LaLiga during the midfielder's spells at Villarreal and Atletico Madrid before his Premier League move.
"When Messi got the ball, you’d think: 'Oh, danger'," he added. "When I first started playing against him, I tried to take the ball from him, and he dodged you as if you were a bull in the ring. The feeling I had was that something bad was about to happen."
Bompastor pleased with Chelsea's rotated side in 3-0 Champions League win over Celtic
Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor was delighted with her side's 3-0 home victory over Celtic in the Women's Champions League on Wednesday, which extended her 100% start and secured their place in the quarter-final.
Bompastor's side remain three points above Real Madrid at the top of Group B and can now no longer be caught by third-placed Twente.
"I told the players before the game tonight that it was an opportunity for us to qualify for the quarter-final, and we did that," she told the official club website after the game.
The result comes after a 2-0 victory over Manchester City in the WSL last weekend, which also has them top of that table with seven wins from seven.
"We also remain top of the table, which is also something we want to make sure we achieve. It's great news that we were able to rotate the squad and give opportunities to some players to play a Champions League game again.
"We could rest some players thinking about the Manchester United game [on Sunday]."
One of those players who got on the pitch as a result of that rotation was 17-year-old Lola Brown, who made her professional debut after coming off the bench in the 85th minute.
"It's a special week for her individually, but also for the club," Bompastor said. "I'm really pleased for her and the opportunity for her to come in, especially in a Champions League game.
"She's been training with us and I can see her talent, even if she is young. She's really dynamic as a player, really smart, and really good with the ball. She will progress and this experience tonight will bring her a lot of joy and a lot of confidence.
'As a manager, I worked a lot with the young players, especially when I was at the academy with Lyon, and it's also something special for me when I can give an opportunity to a young player to come in and show themselves. It's really good and shows the good job that the club is doing with young players.'
Aside from Brown, Bompastor made six changes to Chelsea's starting XI for the game and was pleased with the contribution of the players who came in.
"It's been my mindset from the beginning of the season. We play so many games and have to make sure everyone is involved. It's also the opportunity for me to show my trust in the players and the squad.
"It's important because it's not possible for a player to play 90 minutes every three days, especially with a lot of international players who play for their national team and club and travel all around the world. I think that's the way it has to be.'
Silva expects Iwobi to hit new heights for in-form Fulham
Fulham boss Marco Silva is counting on Alex Iwobi to provide his best-ever Premier League season as the Nigerian looks to continue his strong start to 2024-25 versus Wolves.
Fulham signed off for the November international break with back-to-back wins over Brentford (2-1) and Crystal Palace (2-0) and currently sit seventh in the table.
They are among a host of teams within distance of the Champions League spots, with Iwobi's performances a major factor in their strong start.
He has two goals and two assists so far this term, and Silva believes he is in the form of his life.
"For me, last season was the best season from him in the Premier League, in my opinion, and I'm sure that he's going to be better this season," Silva told Fulham's website.
"It's the same thing that I've been saying to him.
"I know him very well, I brought him to Everton, and when we got the chance to have him with us here at Fulham, it was a moment for us to go to sign him.
"First, he is a really versatile player that can play in many, many positions, he can do many roles. I know where he's capable, where he feels that he can perform better.
"He likes to be around in the middle of the pitch. But now he's playing more on the right, where he's capable, like he showed against Crystal Palace."
Wolves, meanwhile, picked up their first victory of the season at the 11th attempt prior to the international break, beating Southampton 2-0 at Molineux.
That result steadied the ship after coach Gary O'Neil had seen his position come under threat, and captain Mario Lemina thinks it will also provide a much-needed confidence boost.
"It was really hard. We just believed since day one," Lemina told the club's media channels.
"The whole city has been missing that sensation. To finish with this win, it's going to be good for our mental health.
"To be honest, we were sad for the fans, sad for the club, but now we can build from that and try to get back. We're really in a positive mentality."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fulham – Alex Iwobi
Only Dejan Kulusevski (25), Cole Palmer (25), and Bernardo Silva (23) have created more chances from open play in the Premier League this season than Iwobi (22).
His expected assists total from open play of 2.9 xA is the second-highest in the competition, behind James Maddison (3.2), and he has scored more than twice as many Premier League goals against Wolves (five) than he has versus any other opponent.
Wolves – Matheus Cunha
Since the start of last season, only three players have been involved in a higher proportion of their side's goals in the Premier League than Wolves' Cunha (39%; 17 goals, nine assists).
Furthermore, the Brazilian has netted in each of his last three away league games and has five goal involvements in his last five outings overall (three goals, two assists).
MATCH PREDICTION – FULHAM WIN
Fulham have won just one of their last eight Premier League games against Wolves (three draws, four losses), though it was in this exact fixture last season (3-2).
However, Silva's men enter this match in excellent form, and they could win three successive Premier League games for the first time since a run of four victories in January 2023, which is the only time they have accomplished the feat since returning to the top flight in 2022.
Wolves, meanwhile, have not won successive Premier League games since February last season and are winless in their last 11 away league matches, drawing four and losing seven while conceding 28 goals in that time.
They have also lost seven of their last 10 Premier League matches in London including both such games this season versus Arsenal and Brentford (three wins).
As well as Iwobi, Wolves will have to be particularly wary of their former striker Raul Jimenez. All six of his Premier League goal involvements this season (four goals, two assists) have put Fulham ahead, the best 100% rate managed in the competition so far this term.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Fulham – 54.8%
Wolves – 22.2%
Draw – 23%
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