Pumas loses four starters to FIFA date right before hosting Atletico San Luis

Four names drop off the list, and three of them were untouchable in the starting eleven. That is the blow facing Esteban Solari right when Pumas needs points by any means necessary. The FIFA date has taken away Pedro Vite, Alvaro Angulo, Adalberto Carrasquilla and Robert Morales, and the university squad will have to reinvent itself for Sunday's match against Atletico San Luis at the Estadio Olimpico Universitario.

The tricky part isn't just the number of absences, it's who they are. Vite, Angulo and Morales aren't rotation pieces: they're among the players who log the most minutes on the team, guys Solari wouldn't even consider benching in a normal match. Carrasquilla, on the other hand, has had a more irregular run, going in and out of the lineup depending on the moment.

Each one is leaving to represent his country. Pedro Vite was called up by Ecuador, Alvaro Angulo answers the call from Colombia, Adalberto "Coco" Carrasquilla reports to Panama and Robert Morales travels with Paraguay. Four different flags, one shared headache for the feline coaching staff.

And it arrives at the worst possible moment. Pumas isn't in its best stretch right now: just two wins in the last six matches, a number that's starting to weigh on Solari, better known as "Tano," whose project still hasn't found any continuity in this Apertura 2026.

What Solari said after the draw with Atlas

The coach himself didn't hide his frustration with the calendar after the 1-1 draw against Atlas in matchday 9. That's where he first spoke about this problem that was coming his way.

These are four very important players. Well, obviously, it's a FIFA date. Unfortunately, it falls on a date that hurts us.Esteban Solari

But beyond the complaint, Solari tried to focus on what he can actually control: the style of play his team has started to show in recent weeks.

What I'm aiming for is, despite whatever absences we have, to maintain the shape of our game, which I think we've found. There's a lot to improve... it's all a process, like I always say, and, well, we have to get through this difficult stretch and try to come out stronger so we can reach our goals and qualify at the midpoint of the project.Esteban Solari

As if the absences weren't headache enough, Carrasquilla's case brings an extra complication: he was sent off against Atlas and is carrying a one match suspension. The club still needs to sort out with Liga MX whether that punishment will actually apply on matchday 10, since the Mexican tournament doesn't pause for the FIFA date.

There's at least one silver lining for Pumas amid all this: no player was called up by the Mexican national team, so the absences stayed at four and didn't grow further. In a project that still hasn't managed to take off, any small thing that keeps the bleeding from getting worse is welcome.