Against all expectations, Barcelona SC demolished Aucas 4‑0 on October 25 at Gonzalo Pozo Ripalda. After Ederson Quiñónez’s red card in the 70th minute, the crowd roared “Ole! Ole! Ole!” as the visitors struggled to touch the ball.
The win snapped a four‑match winless streak – three draws and a loss – and electrified fans who braved a torrential downpour to cheer goals from Darío Benedetto (8’), Luis Cano (82’, 98’) and Damián Díaz (95’).
That dominant display may erase memories of earlier slip‑ups, yet the reality is clear: the thrashing injects much‑needed momentum into a side still chasing Libertadores qualification in the hexagonal.
Last week coach Pablo Trobbiani sparked debate by previewing stats from the 1‑1 draw with Universidad Católica at the Monumental Banco Pichincha, a move that fed the social‑media chatter surrounding the club.
On the “Modo Pro” show, Trobbiani apologized for any offense, explaining he wanted a fresh take on statistics, pressure zones and training methods, and stressed that winning doesn’t always equal superiority.
He added that despite the 4‑0 triumph at altitude, several aspects still require fixing – a sober reminder amid the celebrations.
The Copa Ecuador berth
With one match left against Independiente del Valle, Barcelona sit sixth with 48 points from three of four fixtures. Ahead sit Aucas (51), Liga de Quito (53), Universidad Católica (53), Macará (63) and Rayados de Sangolquí (78).
The top two spots earn direct Libertadores berths (Ecuador 1 and 2). The third place grabs Ecuador 3 and a preliminary‑round slot, while fourth to sixth head to the Sudamericana.
To reach Libertadores 2027, Barcelona must climb to at least third, currently trailing Universidad Católica by five points and lagging by twelve on goal difference.
Can they do it? The hexagonal still holds 18 points, but Barcelona has 21 available, including the postponed clash with Independiente del Valle, giving them a theoretical ceiling of 69 points if they win everything.
That ceiling includes a potential victory over Universidad Católica in Quito on matchday 7, which would raise the “Trencito Azul” to a maximum of 68 points after five remaining games.
Remaining fixtures for Barcelona SC
The fourth Libertadores slot comes via the Copa Ecuador, with the champion entering as Ecuador 4 in the first preliminary round. Three hexagonal teams – Independiente del Valle, Universidad Católica and Liga de Quito – are in the semifinals, so any could claim the cup.
If a non‑qualifier like Rayados de Sangolquí wins the cup, the Libertadores spot would shift accordingly, meaning Barcelona only needs to stay inside the top four to keep hopes alive.
- If the Copa Ecuador runner‑up hasn’t qualified via the league, the spot passes to the best semifinalist.
- Should the league‑qualified runner‑up already have a Libertadores place, the slot moves to the next semifinalist.
- If the champion, runner‑up and top semifinalist have all secured league spots, the berth defaults to the fourth‑place team in the hexagonal (currently Liga de Quito).
For my money, Barcelona’s recent firepower proves they can still surprise rivals and clinch that coveted slot.
Will the club’s momentum carry them through the remaining games?
- Matchday 1 (postponed): Home vs Independiente del Valle
- Matchday 5: Away at Macará (strong sub‑champion contender)
- Matchday 6: Home vs Liga de Quito
- Matchday 7: Away at Universidad Católica
- Matchday 8: Home vs Aucas
- Matchday 9: Home vs Macará
- Matchday 10: Away at Independiente del Valle. (D)