While many managers like to moan about scheduling and having to play on two or three days' rest, those complaints pale in comparison to what Independiente Del Valle boss Pablo Repetto is dealing with on Wednesday.
The upstart Ecuadorians, who eliminated both River Plate and Boca Juniors, are in the final of the Copa Libertadores and will face Colombia's Atletico Nacional in the first leg on Wednesday night.
So one would think that the folks who run and schedule Ecuador's Serie A would be inclined to postpone Independiente Del Valle's domestic fixture with El Nacional, right? Wrong!
Instead, Independiente, logically fielded a team full of reserves and went out and promptly lost 5-2.
FINAL
Partido diferido #ElNacional 5 (Estrada 73', Lara 67' 42', Chalá 18', Balda 7') #IDV 2 (Ayoví 89', Cuero 64') pic.twitter.com/4bp6BGACRX— Ponte 11 (@ponte11_ec) July 20, 2016
The sheer absurdity of a team having to play a domestic fixture and a continental final ON THE SAME DAY was not lost on people.
Meanwhile, the Copa Libertadores final first leg is tonight, and Independiente Del Valle are CURRENTLY IN LEAGUE ACTION against El Nacional.
— Sam Kelly (@HEGS_com) July 20, 2016
@HEGS_com Okay, that's fantastically stupid.
— Phil (@phccar) July 20, 2016
INSÓLITO! Independiente del Valle está jugando y perdiendo 0 - 3 con El Nacional por el Torneo Local, a la noche juega la final de la Copa..
— Jorge Muñoz (@JorgeMunoz_) July 20, 2016
"UNHEARD OF! Independiente del Valle is playing and losing 0-3 with El Nacional in the domestic league, at night they play the Copa final."
De locos! A esta hora Independiente del Valle juega por el torneo local... contra El Nacional .@fmfutbolmundial @casaleantonio @guilloarango
— mAjor tOm (@Dualectico) July 20, 2016
"Crazy! At this hour Independiente del Valle plays in the domestic league... against El Nacional."
It wasn't even the only match Independiente Del Valle have against a team called Nacional today. What a situation.
— Sam Kelly (@HEGS_com) July 20, 2016