Roundup. Here is how Ecuador’s national team players in Europe got on this weekend, Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18. Ratings are from FotMob. Moisés Caicedo, Willian Pacho, Piero Hincapié and John Yeboah were in our Saturday roundup.

Amorim: “He is playing because I choose him”

Pervis Estupiñán came on for Yunus Musah in the 75th minute as Milan beat Atalanta 3-2 at San Siro on Sunday. Milan led 3-0 through a Gonçalo Ramos penalty, Adrien Rabiot and Mario Gila before Gianluca Gaetano (66′) and Nikola Krstović (81′) made it a nervy finish, according to EFE via Primicias. FotMob rated Estupiñán 6.4 for his 15 minutes, with two clearances and 10 accurate passes.

After the game, Milan coach Rúben Amorim was asked about the whistles aimed at Estupiñán. “We have to help the fans understand who Estupiñán is,” he said, according to TuttoMercatoWeb. “At the end of the transfer window we had a list of clubs that wanted him. But I said no. So I want the fans to know it was my responsibility: he is playing because I choose Estupiñán, because I believe in him and I am convinced he will be really important for our team.”

Many fans on X were harsh. One Milan fan wrote that Estupiñán and Omari Hutchinson “made too many mistakes for turnovers” after coming on, and another blamed a short pass by Estupiñán for starting the move that led to Atalanta’s second goal. Ecuadorian site futbolecuador.com was kinder, writing that he “aportó lo suyo” (did his part) in the win.

Next up: Milan visit Bournemouth in the Europa League on Thursday, October 22 (3:00 PM ET), then Udinese in Serie A on Sunday, October 25 (3:45 PM ET).

Mercado’s goal-line block earns Sparta a point

John Mercado started and played 90 minutes in Baník Ostrava 0-0 Sparta Prague on Sunday. Sparta’s official match report said that, twenty minutes from time, David Planka “had an open goal at his mercy, but John Mercado threw himself in front of the shot with a determined block.” Mercado was booked in the 44th minute.

FotMob rated him 7.7 with two shots on target, the best rating of any Ecuador national team player in Europe this weekend, just ahead of Moisés Caicedo’s 7.66 at Everton. Sparta-focused account Sparťanské Noviny wrote on X that Mercado cleared Planka’s chance off the line. The result still hurt: Czech site eFotbal wrote that Sparta lost their winning run and dropped to fifth. Sparta visit Olympiacos in the Europa League on Thursday (3:00 PM ET).

Both Angulos unused as 10-man Sunderland lose

Nilson Angulo and Juan Riquelme Angulo were both unused substitutes as Sunderland lost 2-0 at Bournemouth on Sunday. Marcus Tavernier headed Bournemouth in front in the sixth minute, Kevin Danso was sent off in the 17th for a last-man foul on Evanilson, and Evanilson made it 2-0 in the 48th, according to Sky Sports. It was Bournemouth’s first league win of the season. Sunderland visit Lech Poznań in the Europa League on Thursday (12:45 PM ET).

Cup shock for Realpe, late defeat for Moisés Ramírez

Leonardo Realpe started and played the full game as Famalicão were knocked out of the Taça de Portugal by third-tier Paredes, 1-0, on Sunday. Miguel Moreno scored in the 40th minute, according to Lusa via RTP. FotMob has no lineup data for the game.

In Greece, goalkeeper Moisés Ramírez played 90 minutes as Kifisia lost 2-1 at home to Aris, whose winner came in the 89th minute, according to Pagenews. FotMob rated him 5.6 with two saves.

Elsewhere

• Jeremy Sarmiento came on for a one-minute cameo in Middlesbrough’s 2-2 draw with Cardiff in the Championship on Saturday.
• Elías Legendre was not in Rennes’ squad for their 4-3 loss at Paris FC on Sunday, and Cristian Ramírez was not in Lokomotiv Moscow’s squad for the 3-3 draw with Krasnodar on Saturday.
• On the injury list, according to FotMob: Piero Hincapié (ankle) missed Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, and Jhoanner Chávez (hamstring) missed Lens’ 3-1 win at Troyes. Kevin Rodríguez (Union Saint-Gilloise, muscle), Joel Ordóñez (Club Brugge, foot), Yaimar Medina (Genk, hamstring), Justin Lerma (Borussia Dortmund, muscle) and Jeremy Arévalo (Estrela Amadora, back) are also listed as injured.
• In Brazil on Sunday, Keny Arroyo played 79 minutes in Cruzeiro’s 4-2 win at Grêmio (FotMob 7.2).

At a glance

Player	Game	Minutes	FotMob
John Mercado	Baník Ostrava 0-0 Sparta Prague	90′	7.7
Pervis Estupiñán	Milan 3-2 Atalanta	15′	6.4
Moisés Ramírez	Kifisia 1-2 Aris	90′	5.6
Leonardo Realpe	Paredes 1-0 Famalicão	90′	–
Nilson Angulo	Bournemouth 2-0 Sunderland	Unused sub	–
Juan Riquelme Angulo	Bournemouth 2-0 Sunderland	Unused sub	–
Jeremy Sarmiento	Middlesbrough 2-2 Cardiff	1′	–

Every La Tri player’s latest club and Ecuador game is on our Players Tracker, and this week’s fixtures are on our Schedule page.