Recoleta FC will not qualify for South America’s premier club competition on league form alone, but a place in the Copa Libertadores is still within reach. The Canario can earn an international berth by winning the 2026 Copa Paraguay, and they are one victory away from a place in the final.
A route through the cup
In the semifinals of the Copa de Todos, Recoleta will face Libertad. A win would give the club the Paraguay 4 spot on offer through the Paraguayan Football Association’s integration tournament.
The rules attached to the cup are the key to the picture. The Copa Paraguay winner receives the Libertadores ticket. If that winner is also the league champion or the leader of the aggregate table, the spot passes to the runner-up. Several scenarios could therefore reshape the allocation, depending on who reaches the final.
Possible scenarios
If Recoleta reach the final against Cerro Porteño, who must first get past Sol de America, a Recoleta title could still lead to a Libertadores place as Paraguay 2 or 3, leaving one slot vacant. If Recoleta go all the way as champions, they would not be eligible for international competition unless they are already part of the country’s top-flight elite.
Last year offers a precedent. General Caballero de Juan León Mallorquín won the cup but could not compete in the Libertadores after being promoted to the Intermedia division, so the runner-up, 2 de Mayo de Pedro Juan Caballero, took the place.
Preparations and club direction
Recoleta are preparing for the semifinal with full focus, aware of the historic opportunity. The date has not yet been confirmed, although the tie would fall on Wednesday 18 or Thursday 19 of this month.
Meanwhile, the board led by Luis Antonio Vidal Velázquez has decided to finish the season with the same coaching staff, headed by Jorge González Frutos, before defining the next steps.
Source: www.abc.com.py
