As Ecuador faces Morocco's Achraf Hakimi in Madrid on Friday in a friendly, Willian Pacho was compared to Virgil van Dijk by his coach a few days before the PSG vs. Liverpool Champions League game.

In two weeks, PSG will host Liverpool in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal. A match that will see Willian Pacho trying to stop Hugo Ekitike and even Alexander Isak. A great opportunity for the Ecuadorian to confirm that he is among the best defenders in the world.

In opposition, Liverpool is expected to field a central defensive partnership comprising Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk, who is no longer the player he once was but remains a reference for many at his position. Ecuador's Argentine coach, Sebastian Beccacece, compared Pacho to the Dutchman in an interview with AS.

"We still need to improve on set pieces," he said. "I spoke about it with Pacho, who is capable of scoring goals and has just scored two with PSG (against Leverkusen and Tottenham in the Champions League). We are working on both execution and movement. For me, he is the new Van Dijk, because he is the present and future center back."

Before facing the Reds, Willian Pacho will face Morocco's Achraf Hakimi on Friday in a friendly at the Metropolitano in Madrid, then Van Dijk's Netherlands next Tuesday in Eindhoven. A great opportunity for him to confirm his coach's words and show that he is even better than the Dutchman now.

Qualified for the 2026 World Cup, Ecuador finished second in the South American qualifying zone with, by far, the best defense. In 18 matches, Pacho's Ecuador conceded only 5 goals (compared to 10 for Argentina, the second-best defense, along with Paraguay).

Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!

It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.

Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!