No Soup for U

Last summer LDU Quito won the Copa Libertadores on PKs after a crazy 5-5 aggregate with Brazilian side Fluminese. In so doing they became the first non-Brazil non-Argentine side from CONMEBOL to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup.

There, they advance to the finals and lost 1-0, ceding Manchester United the first 20% of their seemingly inevitable quintuple that we're never going to hear the end of.

So, the LDU Quito players are doing what any side on top of their region would do: Going on strike. Wait, wha...?

Seems LDU Quito is having cash flow problems and players are reportedly owed wages from December and January, so they are going on strike until they get paid. Says el capitán Luis Fernando Saritama: "At the start of the season there was a promise the club would meet its obligations. We're doing ours by getting results but we're not seeing the same (from the directors)."

Won't play, won't train, won't shag WAGs.

Eh, two out of three ain't bad. They're probably doing nothing but that and X-Box until this is settled.

This isn't the first financial spat the club has faced. Just days after the Copa Lib win coach Carlos Sevilla resigned in a disagreement with club directors over bonus money.

This is kind of a big deal because, well, LDU Quito has a title to defend. They opened their Copa Lib campaign with a 3-2 win over Palmeiras yesterday. And have a match next week against another Brazilian side in Cruzeiro. Says the wire services: "Deportivo would face heavy sanctions if they forfeited the game."

No kidding?

LDU Quito. South American Champions. World Finalists. Broke Ass Ecuadorians.God, South American soccer is crazy.

Read more on "No Soup for U"...