Bolívar host Independiente Rivadavia at Estadio Hernando Siles in La Paz on 28 May, in the final Group C match of the 2026 Copa Libertadores. Rivadavia are already through as group winners, so the match's real tension sits with Bolívar, who are level on five points with Fluminense and need a result to claim second place and direct knockout qualification rather than a slide into the Copa Sudamericana. The altitude should help but one win in their last nine across all competitions is just bad and an Argentine side that conceded twice in four unbeaten group games will not make the night easy.
Vladimir Soria has had fewer than four weeks in charge, with no competitive game yet to establish a system of his own, having taken interim charge when Flavio Robatto resigned in late April following over two years in the role. Alfredo Berti, by contrast, has had time to settle into a system at Rivadavia alongside assistants Martín Spuch and Santiago Flores. They go in without any competitive history between them to draw on.
A 1-1 draw against Deportivo La Guaira in the Libertadores, domestic stalemates of 0-0 and 1-1 and a 2-3 defeat that suggests their defensive issues are not limited to away games: Bolívar's recent run is a problem however you frame it. They are still in contention for second largely because of their home record, having not won in recent weeks, which is a serious problem when a win is the only result that matters. A 4-1 win over La Guaira and a controlled 1-1 against Fluminense cover the two versions of Rivadavia: expansive when the game opens up, composed when it doesn't.
Bolívar are without Fernando Mena, who has a muscle injury keeping him out until mid June, though the rest of the squad is available with no suspensions. Rivadavia's main concern is in goal: Ramiro Macagno has picked up an injury and Nicolás Bolcato is expected to start in his place, though they carry no suspensions either.
Bolívar look set to go with a 3-5-2, with Carlos Lampe in goal behind a back three of Ignacio Gariglio, Xavier Arreaga and Santiago Echeverría. The midfield should feature José Sagredo, Robson Matheus, Leonel Justiniano, Carlos Melgar and Jesús Sagredo, with Patito Rodríguez and Dorny Romero up front. Rivadavia are likely to line up in a compact counter oriented shape, with Bolcato protected by Luciano Gómez, Leonard Costa, Sheyko Studer and Juan Elordi in defence and a midfield of Tomás Bottari and José Florentín supplying Gonzalo Ríos, Matías Fernández, Sebastián Villa and striker Álex Arce.
Bolívar like possession and high pressing and Justiniano and the Sagredo brothers are the delivery threat at corners and free kicks, with both active in aerial duels inside the box. The real problem is that they've scored once in their last four matches and that has to change here or the night ends in Copa Sudamericana. Berti has built a side that defends deep and looks to Arce on the break and Arce in behind a high Bolívar line is the obvious danger throughout, making him Rivadavia's most direct route to goal. The battles that will likely define the game are Dorny Romero against Costa and Studer at the back, Rodríguez and Matheus duelling with Florentín and Bottari in midfield and Villa feeding Arce against Bolívar's back three.
The sides have met just once in continental competition, with Rivadavia winning 1-0 courtesy of an early Matías Fernández goal in what was the Argentine club's first ever Libertadores win, one game and one Rivadavia victory with no draws between them.
There is a small logistical uncertainty around whether the match could shift to an alternative Bolivian venue such as Ramón Tahuichi, though that is unlikely to shift much since altitude is altitude wherever in Bolivia you play. The more pressing question is whether Rivadavia rotate given they're already through. A rotated Rivadavia side is the one scenario that genuinely opens the game up for Bolívar but if Berti keeps faith with his first team it gets considerably trickier for the hosts.
Bolívar have enough at home to score and the prediction is 2-2. Both sides have specific reasons to be exposed: Bolívar chasing a result and Rivadavia potentially fielding fringe players, so goals in both directions feels more likely than a scrappy 1-0. Whether Bolívar's point is enough depends on what Fluminense do elsewhere.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
