Preview: Gremio vs Bolivar - prediction, team news, lineups

Gremio and Bolivar meet this Thursday at 11pm (UK time), at the Arena in Porto Alegre, in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana 2026 last-16 playoff.

Having lost 3-2 in the first leg in La Paz, the Rio Grande do Sul side need to win by two goals or more to advance directly to the last 16, or by a single goal to send the tie to penalties, while Bolivar can rely on a draw on Brazilian soil to secure qualification in the continental competition.

Match preview

Gremio are focused on recovering their continental campaign following the setback suffered at altitude in La Paz.

The Rio Grande do Sul side are expected to push hard from the opening minutes at the Arena in an attempt to erase Bolivar's advantage, potentially as early as the first half.

Head coach Luis Castro has been adjusting the team's tactical setup to avoid leaving space for the Bolivians' transitions, who are likely to look to exploit counter-attacks and the midfield is expected to press with greater intensity when winning back possession.

Gremio supporters are expected to fill the Arena — tickets start at around £3.70 — to push the team towards a spot in the Copa Sudamericana last 16.

The two sides have met five times in their history, with Gremio holding a narrow advantage: three wins for the Brazilians against two for the Bolivians, with no draws. Gremio have scored eight goals in the fixture and conceded six.

For their part, Alejandro Restrepo's Bolivar side, who built a valuable advantage by winning 3-2 at the Estadio Hernando Siles, arrive in Porto Alegre with a clear plan to manage the aggregate scoreline.

As mentioned, Bolivar's approach will be to exploit any space Gremio concede and break quickly down the flanks to catch the hosts by surprise.

The Bolivian squad are well aware of the difficulties of playing in Brazil and will look to slow the tempo of the match - set-piece threat is another card the visiting coaching staff plan to play.

Thursday's match puts a place among the Copa Sudamericana's last 16 clubs on the line, with the winner facing Sao Paulo in the next round.

The tie is expected to be an electric one, with Gremio's need for victory contrasting with Bolivar's planned reactive approach.

Gremio Copa Sudamericana form:

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Gremio form (all competitions):

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Bolivar Copa Sudamericana form:

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Bolivar form (all competitions):

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Team News

Gremio arrive at close to full strength for the decisive match in Porto Alegre, with head coach Luis Castro able to call on the return of forward Martin Braithwaite to lead the attack alongside Cristian Pavon and Tete, while Mathias Villasanti and Juan Nardoni are confirmed starters after featuring at the weekend.

The only doubts in the defensive setup concern the right-back spot, contested by Marcos Rocha and Diego Caito, along with the composition of the back line alongside Argentine centre-back Walter Kannemann, while the presence of pacey options on the bench, such as Jose Enamorado and Miguel Monsalve, gives the Rio Grande do Sul side further attacking alternatives.

For Bolivar, almost the entire squad is available for the trip, with experienced forward Martin Cauteruccio and winger Dairon Asprilla, who both scored in the first leg, serving as the visitors' key attacking threats.

Bolivar's midfield is expected to feature Robson Matheus and Ervin Vaca shielding the back four, while veteran goalkeeper Carlos Lampe takes his place between the posts and will be tasked with withstanding Gremio's attacking pressure throughout the contest.

Gremio possible 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 possible 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 will look for an early goal, and that urgency could leave gaps at the back for the visitors to break into on the counter-attack.

Qualification, if it comes, is unlikely to be straightforward, with Bolivar set to do everything possible to slow the tempo and blunt the hosts' momentum, even with the Arena expected to be packed and roaring the home side on.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.