Grêmio chase win to seal direct last-16 spot in the Sula

The team led by Luís Castro is trying to end an uncomfortable run of 13 matches without an away win to temporarily take the top spot in the group and avoid the strain of playing in the competition’s playoffs. The Qualification Scenarios Currently in second place with four points, the Tricolor would overtake Riestra with a win and move up to seven points. If they get a positive result in Argentina, Grêmio will depend only on themselves to advance directly to the round of 16.

That is because the current leaders, Montevideo City Torque, face Palestino on Wednesday and will then have a direct showdown with the team from Rio Grande do Sul at the Arena in the final round of the group stage. A draw keeps the current positions, but it could allow Palestino to close the gap in the standings. A defeat, meanwhile, would drastically complicate the Brazilian side’s plans, leaving the opponents alone at the top and forcing Grêmio to rely on a combination of results to avoid an early elimination or being stuck with second place.

The Playoff Ghost The urgency to finish top of the group comes from last season’s trauma. In 2025, Grêmio finished second in its group and was eliminated in the playoffs by Alianza Lima. Ten players from the current squad were part of that defeat and are now trying to avoid repeating the mistake, which would add two extra matches to an already overloaded schedule.

Reinforcements and Absences Luís Castro will have forward Amuzu back after recovering from ankle pain. He traveled with the squad and is seen as an important option for the attack. On the other hand, the coach will be without Nardoni and Arthur, which will require changes to the midfield setup for the clash in Buenos Aires.