- In their first-ever appearance in the competition, Recoleta emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana group stage.
- The Paraguayan side advanced to the Round of 16 unbeaten and will now face Boca Juniors, a club with a rich tradition of continental success.
Recoleta are writing the most important chapter in their history and dreaming of extending their remarkable cup run. They returned to Paraguay’s top flight in 2024 and, less than two years later, pulled off a major upset in the Gran Conquista by finishing top of a group that also featured established opponents such as San Lorenzo and Santos.
Jorge Osmar González Frutos’ side enjoyed a memorable debut on the South American stage. In the preliminary round, Recoleta defeated Nacional — a familiar opponent from domestic competition — on penalties. During the group stage, they recorded five draws before claiming their most significant victory on the final matchday, beating ‘El Ciclón’ away at the Estadio Pedro Bidegain. They scored six goals — four of them on the road — and became only the second Paraguayan team to remain unbeaten in their first seven CONMEBOL Sudamericana matches.
‘El Canario’s’ journey to the Round of 16 has been built on several consistent strengths: tactical organisation, defensive discipline and the attacking efficiency of their back line. The Paraguayan side will now face Boca Juniors, who reached the Round of 16 with Rodolfo Arruabarrena as their new head coach, but Recoleta will be without their leading figure. Paraguayan forward Allan Wlk, who scored twice during the group stage, has joined Lanús.
Recoleta brought in two reinforcements to compensate for his departure. Experienced Uruguayan midfielder Alejandro Silva returned to the club following a successful previous spell, during which he scored 12 goals in 43 appearances. Argentine forward Paul Charpentier also arrived from Ecuadorian side Orense SC.
Recoleta in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Results and Schedule
Preliminary Round
Nacional 1 (4)-(5) 1 Recoleta
Goals: Hugo Valdez (85') / Kevin Parzajuk (45+4')
Group D
Matchday 1: Recoleta 1-1 San Lorenzo
Goals: Allan Wlk (13') / Rodrigo Auzmendi (17')
Matchday 2: Santos 1-1 Recoleta
Goals: Neymar (4') / Richard Ortiz (45+1')
Matchday 3: Recoleta 0-0 Deportivo Cuenca
Matchday 4: Recoleta 1-1 Santos
Goals: Fernando Galeano (86') / Neymar (41')
Matchday 5: Deportivo Cuenca 2-2 Recoleta
Goals: Luis Cardozo own goal (26') and David González (56') / Pedro Ríos (12') and Junior Noguera (38')
Matchday 6: San Lorenzo 0-1 Recoleta
Goal: Allan Wlk (37')
Round of 16
First Leg: Tuesday, August 11, at 7:00 p.m.
La Bombonera, Buenos Aires
Second Leg: Tuesday, August 18, at 7:00 p.m.
ueno Defensores del Chaco Stadium, Asunción
Recoleta Head Coach in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Jorge Osmar González Frutos
The relationship between the coach and the club has developed through a wide range of roles. Before taking charge of the first team, Jorge González served as sporting director, club administrator, a member of the football council and a sporting adviser. Recoleta is his first experience as a head coach.
He assumed his current role in July 2024 and was responsible for guiding ‘El Canario’ back to the top flight and securing the club’s first-ever qualification for an international competition. In a tournament in which they were not initially considered contenders, the Asunción side produced a major upset and advanced to the Round of 16 as group winners.
Recoleta Squad for the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana
Goalkeepers: 1. Andres Marsengo - 12. Nelson Ferreira - 13. Oscar Toledo - 40. Brian Bernal - 41. Octavio Martinez.
Defenders: 2. Facundo Echeguren - 3. Luis Cardozo - 4. Marcos Pereira - 5. Nicolas Marotta - 14. Claudio Figueredo - 15. Blas Medina - 18. Pedro Rios - 23. Juan Nuñez - 25. Dairon Mosquera - 27. Julio Dominguez - 28. Luis Mendoza - 32. Lucas Monzon - 35. Eliezer Barreto - 44. Renzo Martino.
Midfielders: 6. Jose Espinola - 7. Ronal Dominguez - 8. Fernando Galeano - 10. Alejandro Silva - 16. Carlos Vera - 19. Hector Lopez - 20. Marcelo Cañete - 21. Claudio Garay - 34. Mathias Masi - 38. Juan Franco - 43. Juan Sanabria.
Forwards: 9. Richart Ortiz - 11. Kevin Parzajuk - 17. Wilfrido Baez - 22. Orlin Barreto - 24. Thiago Vidal - 30. Paul Charpentier - 31. Manuel Schupp - 33. Aldo Gonzalez - 36. Briahan Ferreira - 37. Juan Falcon - 39. Giuseppe Guggiari.
Recoleta’s Key Player in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Nelson Ferreira
The goalkeeper came through the ranks at Sportivo Campo 9 and spent much of his career with Pastoreo FC in Paraguay’s División Intermedia. He joined Recoleta at the beginning of 2024 and quickly established himself as an undisputed starter for ‘El Canario’.
Ferreira played a crucial role in the club’s historic qualification for the Round of 16, keeping two clean sheets along the way. He excelled on the final matchday against San Lorenzo, recording 45 interventions to preserve his clean sheet.
“We could not be eliminated while still unbeaten. We knew a draw would not be enough, and we came to this stadium to win. We are newcomers to the competition, but we deserved to qualify,” Ferreira said emotionally after the away victory over ‘El Ciclón’, in which he was named Player of the Match.
Recoleta’s Top Scorer in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Multiple Goalscorers
Paraguayan forward Allan Wlk, a product of Olimpia’s youth academy, needed just six months at Recoleta to leave a significant mark during his spell with the Asunción side. He scored 23 goals in 15 appearances, including an impressive campaign in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana, where he found the net twice in five matches. Powerful, agile and dangerous in one-on-one situations, Wlk was Recoleta’s main attacking threat during the group stage.
The challenge for Jorge González’s side will be to compensate for Wlk’s departure after he moved to Argentine football to join Lanús, who were eliminated by Cienciano in the Round of 16 Playoffs. The 23-year-old striker was Recoleta’s leading attacking weapon during the group stage, and replacing him now represents a major question for the team to solve.
Recoleta’s X-Factor in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Alejandro Silva
The Uruguayan midfielder already won the hearts of the Paraguayan club’s supporters during his first spell at Recoleta. A prominent figure at Olimpia who also enjoyed a successful period with Lanús, the Montevideo-born player recorded 19 goal contributions in 43 appearances for Recoleta.
Silva’s return provides an emotional boost for a squad preparing to contest the most important tie in the club’s history against high-calibre opposition, following the departure of its leading figure. His individual quality, set-piece delivery and tireless work rate are among the qualities the Uruguayan midfielder brings, and they will be crucial if Recoleta are to extend their continental dream.
Recoleta’s History in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana
‘El Funebrero’ could hardly have imagined a better introduction to international football than the campaign they have produced so far. Simply reaching the preliminary round was already historic; qualifying for the group stage was an even greater achievement. Progressing from it against established opponents — and doing so as group winners — was perhaps beyond even the dreams of their most optimistic supporters.
Through discipline, pragmatism, tactical organisation and sacrifice, Recoleta have burst onto the South American stage and will not be content with merely reaching the Round of 16. Boca Juniors, six-time CONMEBOL Libertadores champions, represent the next landmark in an adventure the Paraguayan side continue to navigate with remarkable confidence.
