Gremio vs Bolivar - prediction, team news, lineups

Gremio and Bolivar conscionable this Thursday astatine 11pm (UK time), astatine the Arena successful Porto Alegre, successful the 2nd limb of the Copa Sudamericana 2026 last-16 playoff.

Having mislaid 3-2 successful the archetypal limb successful La Paz, the Rio Grande bash Sul broadside request to triumph by 2 goals oregon much to beforehand straight to the past 16, oregon by a azygous extremity to nonstop the necktie to penalties, portion Bolivar tin trust connected a gully connected Brazilian ungraded to unafraid qualification successful the continental competition.

Match preview

Gremio are focused connected recovering their continental run pursuing the setback suffered astatine altitude successful La Paz.

The Rio Grande bash Sul broadside are expected to propulsion hard from the opening minutes astatine the Arena successful an effort to erase Bolivar's advantage, perchance arsenic aboriginal arsenic the archetypal half.

Head manager Luis Castro has been adjusting the team's tactical setup to debar leaving abstraction for the Bolivians' transitions, who are apt to look to exploit counter-attacks and the midfield is expected to property with greater strength erstwhile winning backmost possession.

Gremio supporters are expected to capable the Arena — tickets commencement astatine astir £3.70 — to propulsion the squad towards a spot successful the Copa Sudamericana past 16.

The 2 sides person met 5 times successful their history, with Gremio holding a constrictive advantage: 3 wins for the Brazilians against 2 for the Bolivians, with nary draws. Gremio person scored 8 goals successful the fixture and conceded six.

For their part, Alejandro Restrepo's Bolivar side, who built a invaluable vantage by winning 3-2 astatine the Estadio Hernando Siles, get successful Porto Alegre with a wide program to negociate the aggregate scoreline.

As mentioned, Bolivar's attack volition beryllium to exploit immoderate abstraction Gremio concede and interruption rapidly down the flanks to drawback the hosts by surprise.

The Bolivian squad are good alert of the difficulties of playing successful Brazil and volition look to dilatory the tempo of the lucifer - set-piece menace is different paper the visiting coaching unit program to play.

Thursday's lucifer puts a spot among the Copa Sudamericana's past 16 clubs connected the line, with the victor facing Sao Paulo successful the adjacent round.

The necktie is expected to beryllium an electrical one, with Gremio's request for triumph contrasting with Bolivar's planned reactive approach.

Gremio Copa Sudamericana form:

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Gremio signifier (all competitions):

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Bolivar Copa Sudamericana form:

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Bolivar signifier (all competitions):

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Team News

Gremio get astatine adjacent to afloat spot for the decisive lucifer successful Porto Alegre, with caput manager Luis Castro capable to telephone connected the instrumentality of guardant Martin Braithwaite to pb the onslaught alongside Cristian Pavon and Tete, portion Mathias Villasanti and Juan Nardoni are confirmed starters aft featuring astatine the weekend.

The lone doubts successful the antiaircraft setup interest the right-back spot, contested by Marcos Rocha and Diego Caito, on with the creation of the backmost enactment alongside Argentine centre-back Walter Kannemann, portion the beingness of pacey options connected the bench, specified arsenic Jose Enamorado and Miguel Monsalve, gives the Rio Grande bash Sul broadside further attacking alternatives.

For Bolivar, astir the full squad is disposable for the trip, with experienced guardant Martin Cauteruccio and winger Dairon Asprilla, who some scored successful the archetypal leg, serving arsenic the visitors' cardinal attacking threats.

Bolivar's midfield is expected to diagnostic Robson Matheus and Ervin Vaca shielding the backmost four, portion seasoned goalkeeper Carlos Lampe takes his spot betwixt the posts and volition beryllium tasked with withstanding Gremio's attacking unit passim the contest.

Gremio imaginable starting lineup:

Weverton; Marcos Rocha (Diego Caito), Gustavo Martins (Wagner Leonardo), Walter Kannemann, Marlon; Mathias Villasanti, Juan Nardoni, Miguel Monsalve; Cristian Pavon, Tete, Martin Braithwaite

Bolivar imaginable starting lineup:

Carlos Lampe; Jesus Sagredo, Xavier Arreaga, Santiago Echeverria, Luis Paz; Ervin Vaca, Robson Matheus, Carlos Melgar; Dairon Asprilla, Martin Cauteruccio, Patricio Rodriguez

We say: Gremio 2-1 Bolivar

Gremio volition look for an aboriginal goal, and that urgency could permission gaps astatine the backmost for the visitors to interruption into connected the counter-attack.

Qualification, if it comes, is improbable to beryllium straightforward, with Bolivar acceptable to bash everything imaginable to dilatory the tempo and blunt the hosts' momentum, adjacent with the Arena expected to beryllium packed and roaring the location broadside on.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.