Pervis Estupiñán thinks Marcelo Gallardo is the missing piece for Ecuador. Speaking to Telemundo Deportes ahead of Milan’s derby against Inter, the left back said the Argentine’s experience and trophies give La Tri a real chance to win something.

“Gallardo’s arrival is very important for the team, because he’s a coach with a lot of experience who has won a lot of titles, and that’s what the national team needed to have the chance to win something important.”

Estupiñán also pointed to the mix in the squad. “There’s a very good crop of young players, and some with a bit of experience of playing Copas América and World Cups, and we’ll work as hard as we can to give the country the joy of winning something important,” he said.

No win yet under Gallardo

The backing comes before Gallardo has won a game. His first three matches, on the Asia tour in October, brought a 3-0 loss to South Korea, a 0-0 draw with Japan and a 1-1 draw with Panama, and Ecuador lost both of those draws on penalties. Estupiñán started the first two games and played every minute, then missed the Panama game with a knee problem.

La Tri are back at home in November, with Costa Rica in Quito and Bolivia in Guayaquil. Before that, Estupiñán has the Derby della Madonnina: Milan host Inter at San Siro on Saturday, October 31, at 3:45 PM ET.

All of La Tri’s upcoming games are on our schedule page.