- ‘La Academia’ eliminated Grêmio in the Playoffs with victories in both La Paz and Porto Alegre and will face São Paulo in the Round of 16.
- Robson Matheus as the leading scorer, Carlos Lampe as the standout performer and the 2004 runners-up finish as the benchmark they hope to revisit.
Bolívar’s journey in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana effectively began in the CONMEBOL Libertadores. ‘La Academia’ shared Group C with Independiente Rivadavia, Fluminense and Deportivo La Guaira, made the most of the altitude at the Hernando Siles — where they defeated ‘Flu’ thanks to a Robson Matheus brace — and finished third with five points. It was a disappointing outcome, but one that opened another door: a place in the Gran Conquista Playoffs.
There, the team took on a new identity. With Alejandro Restrepo firmly established in the dugout — the Colombian had arrived at the end of May, during the closing stages of the group phase — Bolívar produced the standout tie of the Playoffs: a 3-2 victory over Grêmio in La Paz followed by a 1-0 win in Porto Alegre, sealed by Dairon Asprilla’s goal and a monumental performance from Carlos Lampe, who made 10 saves against the ‘Tricolor’s’ 31 attempts.
It was only the club’s second victory in Brazil in CONMEBOL competition, and their first since 2002, sending Bolívar back into the Round of 16 after also reaching that stage in 2025.
“The players deserve double credit because they gave everything physically and understood the plan: never stop attacking while defending with solidity,” Restrepo said in Porto Alegre, before tempering the celebrations. “We still have a long road ahead of us, and we must keep our feet on the ground.”
That road continues against São Paulo, who topped their group unbeaten, with the first leg at altitude in La Paz and the return at the Morumbi. Bolívar also have a historic reference point to guide them: they remain the only Bolivian club to have reached a CONMEBOL Sudamericana final, finishing runners-up in 2004, and now dream of retracing that path.
Bolívar in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Results and Schedule
CONMEBOL Libertadores Group Stage — Group C
Matchday 1: Independiente Rivadavia 1-0 Bolívar
Goal: Carlos Lampe own goal (2')
Matchday 2: Bolívar 1-1 Deportivo La Guaira
Goals: Dorny Romero (79') / Fabián Londoño (29')
Matchday 3: Bolívar 2-0 Fluminense
Goals: Robson Matheus (6' and 61'), assisted by José Sagredo and Patricio Rodríguez, respectively
Matchday 4: Deportivo La Guaira 1-1 Bolívar
Goals: José Alí Meza (31') / Leonel Justiniano (90+4')
Matchday 5: Fluminense 2-1 Bolívar
Goals: Lucho Acosta (6') and John Kennedy (70') / Carlos Melgar (24'), assisted by Dorny Romero
Matchday 6: Bolívar 1-3 Independiente Rivadavia
Goals: Martín Cauteruccio (55'), assisted by Robson Matheus / Leonel Bucca (45+7'), Sebastián Villa (90+2') and Diego Crego (90+5')
CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16 Playoffs
First Leg: Bolívar 3-2 Grêmio
Goals: Martín Cauteruccio (2'), assisted by Patricio Rodríguez; Robson Matheus (18'), assisted by Jesús Sagredo; and Dairon Asprilla (58') / Mathías Villasanti (16') and Tetê (23')
Second Leg: Grêmio 0-1 Bolívar
Goal: Dairon Asprilla (15'), assisted by Robson Matheus
CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16
First Leg: Tuesday, August 11, at 8:30 p.m.
Hernando Siles Stadium, La Paz
Second Leg: Tuesday, August 18, at 9:30 p.m.
Morumbis Stadium, São Paulo
Bolívar Head Coach in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Alejandro Restrepo
The 44-year-old from Antioquia belongs to a generation of coaches shaped by methodology rather than fame. He developed within Atlético Nacional’s youth system — and later managed the first team — guided Deportivo Pereira into the CONMEBOL Libertadores, gained his first international experience with Alianza Lima and further established his reputation at Independiente Medellín, whom he led to two Colombian league finals in 2025. His profile is that of a modern coach: tactically meticulous, data-driven and committed to designing tailored game plans.
Bolívar appointed him at the end of May 2026 as Flavio Robatto’s replacement, and his tenure began with a difficult run of seven matches without a victory. The response came with renewed momentum in July — including an emphatic domestic league win — and culminated in the outstanding playoff performance against Grêmio, when his vertical and defensively solid approach was executed to perfection across both legs.
His side now sit third in the Bolivian Clausura and are among the final 16 teams in the Gran Conquista.
Bolívar Squad for the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana
Goalkeepers: 1. Carlos Lampe - 12. Juan Lopez - 13. Diego Mendez - 25. Luis Hidalgo.
Defenders: 2. Jesus Sagredo - 3. Xavier Arreaga - 4. Jose Sagredo - 5. Santiago Echeverria - 8. Luis Paz - 16. Leonardo Zabala - 30. Mixael Ceron - 31. Heiden Butron - 33. Fernando Mena - 35. Escleizon Freita - 38. Matias Espinoza - 39. Juan Marigua - 45. Andy Ortuño.
Midfielders: 6. Ervin Vaca - 7. Jhon Velasquez - 14. Robson Tome De Araujo - 18. Lucas Chavez - 19. John Garcia - 20. Carlos Sejas - 22. Anderson Ayhuana - 23. Leonel Justiniano - 24. Matias Galindo - 26. Erwin Saavedra - 41. Said Mabrook - 42. Iker Sosa - 43. Claudio Narvaez - 44. Bruno Nuñez - 46. Luis Parada - 80. Carlos Melgar.
Forwards: 9. Martin Cauteruccio - 10. Billy Arce - 11. Bruno Miranda - 17. Patricio Rodriguez - 27. Dairon Asprilla - 37. Ronald Cronenbold - 77. Dorny Romero - 99. Damian Batallini.
Bolívar’s Key Player in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Carlos Lampe
Lampe played every one of Bolívar’s 720 minutes in international competition this season, and his masterpiece came on the night when qualification was at stake: 10 saves against Grêmio in Porto Alegre, the highest tally by a Bolivian goalkeeper in a CONMEBOL competition since 2013 — a record he had previously matched himself with his performance against Millonarios in 2024. At 39, the most-capped player in the history of the Bolivia national team remains the last line of defence for his club.
Fate added an ironic twist to his campaign: the first goal he conceded was an own goal, an unfortunate moment just two minutes into Bolívar’s opening match in Mendoza. From then on, however, he became the team’s foundation. Ahead of the tie against Grêmio, Lampe declared that “Bolívar are one of the few teams capable of eliminating a Brazilian side” — and he made sure to prove it himself.
Bolívar’s Top Scorer in the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana: Robson Matheus
The 24-year-old midfielder has been both the driving force and leading scorer of ‘La Academia’s’ international campaign, registering three goals and two assists in eight matches, all of them as a starter. His defining performance came against Fluminense at the Hernando Siles, where he scored two headers against a team from his home country. In the Playoffs, he added Bolívar’s second goal in the first leg against Grêmio before providing the assist for the decisive strike in Porto Alegre.
His form also reflects a clear trend: each of his last three goal contributions has come in CONMEBOL competition, further evidence that he thrives on the continental stage. In a midfield that combines the experience of Justiniano and Melgar with his ability to break forward, Robson Matheus is the most consistent attacking influence in Restrepo’s side.
Bolívar’s X-Factor in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Dairon Asprilla
He arrived on July 1 as a free agent from Atlético Nacional and was initially regarded as a gamble, having come off a subdued season in Medellín after several years in MLS with the Portland Timbers. One month later, he has become Bolívar’s defining player in the Playoffs: he scored in the first leg against Grêmio in La Paz and then struck the goal that sealed qualification in Porto Alegre, beating Walter Kannemann with a dribble before finishing at the near post. He has scored three goals since joining the club, two of them in the Gran Conquista.
The 34-year-old Colombian has found the fresh start he was seeking at altitude, under a coach who already knew him from Colombian football. Should his run continue against São Paulo, Bolívar’s July gamble could turn into the signing of the season in Bolivia.
Bolívar’s History in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana
Bolívar have firmly established themselves as Bolivia’s leading cup team. They remain the only club from the country to have reached a CONMEBOL Sudamericana final — in 2004, when they won the first leg in La Paz before losing to Boca Juniors at La Bombonera — and the only Bolivian side to have reached the CONMEBOL Libertadores semi-finals, doing so in 2014.
After returning to the Gran Conquista Quarter-finals in 2025, Restrepo’s ‘La Academia’ are back in the Round of 16 with credentials that command respect: they have just eliminated a Brazilian giant by defeating them on their own ground. São Paulo have been warned.
