Liga de Quito and Universidad de Chile will lock horns in what is expected to be a thrilling Copa Sudamericana final at the Casa Blanca stadium of Quito on Thursday.
Liga de Quito of Ecuador will try to take full advantage of all of their experience when they take on Universidad de Chile in the first leg of the final of the 2011 Copa Sudamericana at the Casa Blanca stadium in Quito.

Having won a host of international titles in recent years, with them being the Copa Libertadores in 2008, the Copa Sudamericana in 2009, and the Recopa Sudamericana in both 2009 and 2010, Liga will be after their latest title triumph.

Edgardo Bauza, the Argentine coach of Liga, is well aware of the fact that rivals Universidad de Chile will be hard nuts to crack, not only due to their incredible form this season, but because Liga come into the match with several injury setbacks, and a squad that has become considerably worn out.

Liga have their mind on two fronts, as simultaneously to the Copa Sudamericana final, they confront the Ecuadorian playoff against El Nacional for a berth in the 2012 Copa Libertadores. But regardless of the outcome of the playoff, if Liga manage to win the Copa Sudamericana, they will automatically qualify for the Libertadores.

"It is very complicated and we will have to see how everything goes. For everything that they've been doing, U de Chile are the favourites. What we will try to do is reverse the good moment that they are passing through, as we also have our weapons," Bauza declared to reporters.

Despite the clear advantage of playing 2,800 metres above sea level in Quito, Bauza has indicated that his side, who have won all five of their home games in the competition, will be very cautious against the Chileans. Bauza counts with an abundance of talent in his squad, with Argentine attackers Ezequiel Gonzalez and Hernan Barcos being the standouts.

Meanwhile, Jorge Luis Sampaoli, the Argentine coach of Universidad de Chile, signaled that his squad "arrive in the final against a team who are very strong in these instances, who have won international titles. Our style and personality means that it will be a highly disputed final."

Sampaoli added, "We will come out to look for the result. The history is in that, by generating more goal-scoring opportunities than our rivals," even though he admitted that Liga "defend very well and they know how to work for results."

The Chileans come into the match with a full-strength squad, while Liga, on the other hand, will be without several key players like Paraguayan midfielder Enrique Vera, as well as Ecuadorians Ulises De la Cruz, Patricio Urrutia, Luis Bolanos and Miller Bolanos, who are all injured.

The final will be played in front of a capacity crowd of 54,000 at the Casa Blanca stadium in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito.