The coach of the Chilean national team, Ricardo Gareca, presented the list of players for the double match date of the Qualifiers, surprising with the absence of midfielders Carlos Palacios and Williams Alarcón. In addition to River's defender, Paulo Díaz, two representatives from Independiente are highlighted: Felipe Loyola and Luciano Cabral.
With the aim of improving their performance in the South American Qualifiers, the Chilean national team seeks to correct its course by facing Paraguay and Ecuador. With only 9 points and occupying the second-to-last place in the Qualifiers, La Roja faces the obligation to obtain positive results in their upcoming matches. On March 20, they will face Paraguay in Asunción, and on March 25, they will host Ecuador at home, where they hope to receive support from their fans to bounce back and continue in the fight for a spot in the World Cup.
In the roster, in addition to the prominent presence of Arturo Vidal, a figure of Colo Colo and critic of Tigre, Gareca included several players who play in Argentine football. Paulo Díaz, River's defender, leads the list along with Independiente players Loyola and Cabral. However, the call-up left out two recent signings from Boca: Palacios and Alarcón. Both players had been pre-selected but ultimately were not included in Gareca's final list, who is facing pressure in his position.
The most notable exclusion was that of Palacios, the "Jewel" of Boca, who had been a key piece in Fernando Gago's team since his arrival. However, Chile has several important players in the offensive sector, and Palacios was unable to secure a place in this call-up.
