- The 'Braga' advanced as runners-up in Group H, eliminated Sporting Cristal in the Playoffs and will face reigning runners-up Atlético Mineiro in the Round of 16.
- Isidro Pitta and Fernando, with three goals each, lead a team dreaming of redemption after their defeat in the 2021 final.
Red Bull Bragantino have an intense relationship with the CONMEBOL Sudamericana: in 2021, they reached the one-off final in Montevideo against Athletico Paranaense, only to lose to a stunning goal from Nikão. In 2026, they returned to the competition with the same ambition and a demanding path: runners-up in Group H behind River Plate — against whom they earned a draw at the Monumental — and with a 6-0 victory over Blooming in Bolivia serving as an emphatic attacking statement.
The Playoffs against Sporting Cristal provided a test of character: a 0-0 draw in Lima followed by a second leg in Bragança Paulista that was unlocked in a matter of seconds: a red card for Martín Távara, a free-kick, a cross and a header from defender Pedro Henrique 13 minutes into the second half. After 148 goalless minutes in the tie, a single goal was enough to secure qualification.
Vágner Mancini’s side now face a major challenge: Atlético Mineiro, the reigning runners-up in the 'Gran Conquista', with the first leg at home and the return fixture at Arena MRV in Belo Horizonte. “We were the better side, we had the best chances,” Mancini said after the Playoffs. Against the 'Galo', the margins will be even finer — and Bragantino’s recent history in the competition will serve as extra motivation.
Red Bull Bragantino in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Results and Schedule
Group H - Matchday 1: Carabobo 1-0 Red Bull Bragantino (Eduard Neira)
Group H - Matchday 2: Red Bull Bragantino 3-2 Blooming (Isidro Pitta, brace, and Fernando; assists by Gustavo Marques and Ryan Augusto / Moisés Villarroel and Rodrigo Hinojoza)
Group H - Matchday 3: Red Bull Bragantino 0-1 River Plate (Lucas Martínez Quarta)
Group H - Matchday 4: Blooming 0-6 Red Bull Bragantino (Rodriguinho, brace, Eduardo Sasha, Gustavinho, Fernando and Gustavo Marques; assists by Fernando, two, Rodriguinho, Eric Ramires and Marcelinho Braz)
Group H - Matchday 5: River Plate 1-1 Red Bull Bragantino (Leandro Pereyra / Alix Vinicius, assisted by Isidro Pitta)
Group H - Matchday 6: Red Bull Bragantino 2-0 Carabobo (Isidro Pitta and Fernando, assisted by Marcelinho Braz)
Round of 16 Playoffs - First Leg: Sporting Cristal 0-0 Red Bull Bragantino
Round of 16 Playoffs - Second Leg: Red Bull Bragantino 1-0 Sporting Cristal (13' 2H Pedro Henrique, assisted by Lucas Barbosa)
Round of 16 - First Leg: Red Bull Bragantino vs. Atlético Mineiro — Wednesday, August 12, 7:00 p.m. (Brasília time), Municipal Cícero de Souza Marques Stadium, Bragança Paulista
Round of 16 - Second Leg: Atlético Mineiro vs. Red Bull Bragantino — Wednesday, August 19, 7:00 p.m. (Brasília time), Arena MRV, Belo Horizonte
Red Bull Bragantino Coach in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Vágner Mancini
The 59-year-old coach from São Paulo is a seasoned figure in Brazilian football. A former midfielder with a long playing career, he went on to manage clubs including Vitória, Corinthians, Grêmio, América-MG, Atlético-GO and Ceará before taking charge in Bragança Paulista, where his work earned him a contract extension for the 2026 season.
His Bragantino side has a clear identity: high pressing, attacking full-backs and a pragmatic approach in knockout football, as shown in the tie against Sporting Cristal, which they navigated with patience, experience and a well-worked set-piece routine. The matchup with Atlético Mineiro will pit Mancini against a familiar opponent from his time in Minas Gerais, with a place in the Quarter-finals at stake.
Full Red Bull Bragantino Squad for the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana
Goalkeepers: 1. Cleiton Schwengber - 18. Tiago Volpi - 24. Fernando Pires - 37. Fabricio Oliveira - 50. João Montes - 56. Gustavo Reis.
Defenders: 2. Guzman Rodriguez - 3. Eduardo Gonzaga Mendes - 4. Alix De Souza - 12. Vanderlan Barbosa - 14. Pedro Ribeiro - 16. Gustavo Alves - 23. Ariel Sant'anna - 29. Luis Da Rocha - 34. Jose Hurtado - 46. Breno De Moraes - 51. Cauê Nascimento - 52. Ryan Tavares - 53. Edgar Gonzalez - 54. Weimar Vivas.
Midfielders: 5. Fabio Silva - 6. Gabriel Girotto - 7. Eric Dos Santos - 15. Ignacio Sosa - 19. Bruno De Jesus - 20. Rodrigo Almeida - 22. Gustavo Ribeiro - 35. Matheus Fernandes - 41. Yuri Alves - 55. Chrystian Delfino - 57. Marcelo Braz - 58. Gabriel Da Silva - 61. Rafael Da Silva - 62. Marcos Krysgman.
Forwards: 8. Eduardo Colcenti - 9. Isidro Pitta - 11. Fernando Dos Santos - 17. Vinicius Mendonça - 21. Lucas Barbosa - 27. Davi Gomes - 28. Yuri Silva Leles - 30. Henry Mosquera - 32. Jose Herrera - 49. Luis Gustavo Lucio Antonio - 59. Filipe Rios - 67. Jhuan Nunes.
Red Bull Bragantino Key Player in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Fernando
The winger has been the 'Braga’s' most productive player in international competition this year, with three goals and two assists, highlighted by a standout performance in the 6-0 win in Bolivia — one goal and two assists in the same night. Pace, one-on-one ability and a constant threat in the final third: the complete package for a modern attacker.
His tie against Sporting Cristal had a bittersweet ending after he was sent off late in the first leg, forcing him to miss the return fixture through suspension. With that ban now served, he returns for the Round of 16 as the attacking wildcard Atlético Mineiro will need to monitor most closely.
Red Bull Bragantino Top Scorer in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Isidro Pitta
The top of the 'Braga’s' scoring chart is shared by two players with three goals each, and the 'Viking' is its most recognisable figure. Isidro Pitta built his tally with a brace against Blooming and the opener in the 2-0 win over Carabobo on the final matchday, while also adding a particularly valuable assist — for the equaliser against River Plate at the Monumental. A physical centre-forward who thrives on pressing, duels and penalty-box play, he concentrates much of the battle with opposing centre-backs.
Fernando, already highlighted as the team’s key player, is the other joint leading scorer. He found the net against Blooming in both meetings and again in the final match against Carabobo. Between the striker who unsettles defenders and the winger who creates imbalance, the 'Braga' enter the Round of 16 with their two biggest attacking weapons ready to test the defence of the reigning runners-up.
Red Bull Bragantino Factor X in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Pedro Henrique
The centre-back embodies the spirit of Bragantino’s Playoff campaign. After 148 minutes of a tightly contested tie against Sporting Cristal, it was he — rather than a forward — who appeared in the opposition box to head home the goal that secured qualification, 13 minutes into the second half of the return leg, following Lucas Barbosa’s cross.
Solid defensively and decisive at the other end from set pieces, Pedro Henrique represents the extra edge Mancini’s teams often find through rehearsed situations. In a tie against the 'Galo' that is likely to offer little space, that weapon could once again prove decisive.
Red Bull Bragantino History in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana
The CONMEBOL Sudamericana is the competition of the 'Braga’s' great unfinished night: the 2021 one-off final at the Centenario in Montevideo, where they lost 1-0 to Athletico Paranaense. That campaign introduced the Bragança Paulista project to the continental stage; the 2026 edition brings them back to the knockout rounds with the same objective and greater experience.
First, they advanced from Group H behind River Plate, then overcame Sporting Cristal in the Playoffs, and now face Atlético Mineiro in the Round of 16. The unfinished business remains, and in Bragança there is belief that this team has what it takes to finally settle it.
