Crespo downplays Quito altitude, wants São Paulo to dominate LDU | OneFootball

Coach Hernán Crespo is aware of the challenges that a game at high altitude will pose to São Paulo. Nevertheless, the Argentine hopes his team will continue to be a protagonist even when playing away against LDU in Quito, over 2800m above sea level, for the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores.

“I played at high altitude with the [Argentinian] national team. Of course, it's a bit different, but the game plan won't change. The idea is to try to play a type of football with which we identify. It's not that we think this isn't important. But I think we need to have the determination we've been showing so far. I'm confident, but it's Copa Libertadores, you never know,” Crespo stated.

The history of the encounters between São Paulo and LDU shows that it's not quite like that. The Tricolor was defeated in all three opportunities they faced the Ecuadorian opponent in continental tournaments.

Adding to this is the fact that São Paulo has significant absences for this game. Lucas Moura is out of the match against LDU, as are Oscar, André Silva, and Calleri. Ferreirinha, with discomfort in his left adductor, may also be unavailable.

Amidst so many obstacles, São Paulo will have another opportunity to showcase the strength of its squad and reaffirm the good work that coach Hernán Crespo has been doing with the team. A good result in Quito will bring the Tricolor much closer to the long-dreamed-of Libertadores semi-final.

São Paulo will depart for Ecuador late Wednesday morning and will not conduct any training in the country before the match against LDU, scheduled for this Thursday at 7 PM (Brasília time), at the Casablanca stadium, for the first leg of the South American tournament's quarter-finals.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.