Bolívar have played only 16 games in 2026, include Neymar’s friend Pato Rodríguez | OneFootball

Bolívar, Grêmio’s Copa Sudamericana play-off opponents, have had an unusually light schedule in 2026, playing only 16 official matches. According to Globo.com, domestic disputes have squeezed the calendar, while Grêmio have already played 38 games.

The chaos stems from a 2024 case involving Aurora, punished for falsidade ideológica by a player. Docked 33 points for the 2025 top flight, Aurora’s 37 on the pitch became four, then the club appealed to the Tribunal Arbitral do Esporte and had the punishment overturned.

That ruling pushed Jorge Wilstermann to last place, meaning direct relegation, whereas penultimate would have led to a play-off. Early this year the club went to a Swiss court to cancel the drop, which modified the Bolivian football calendar.

As a result, Bolívar have officially played only the Libertadores group stage and 10 league rounds so far. In a group with Fluminense, Independiente Rivadavia and La Guaira, they finished third, sending them into the Sudamericana to face Grêmio.

One of their best-known names is Pato Rodríguez, a 36-year-old Argentine forward who emerged at Independiente. Santos signed him in mid-2012 to join a side led by the then-young Neymar, with whom he formed a friendship.

He had starting chances but underwhelmed, making more than 50 appearances and scoring two goals across a four-year deal, with loans to Estudiantes and Johor in Malaysia. He later played in Greece, Australia and Portugal, moved to Jorge Wilstermann in 2021 and to Bolívar in 2022, and has since made his home in Florianópolis.

Source: Globo.com