Luís Castro’s Grêmio Opens Sul-Americana Campaign with Defeat at Montevideo City

Grêmio began their 2026 Copa Sudamericana campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Montevideo City at the Estadio Centenario in Uruguay. This result extended the Brazilian side’s winless run to four matches under the management of Luís Castro.

The match marked the first round of the Group F fixtures in the South American tournament. Montevideo City secured the victory through a second-half goal by Eduardo Aguero, scored shortly after the interval at the 49th minute. Grêmio, a club based in Porto Alegre, Brazil, faced a challenging visit to the historic Uruguayan stadium, which has hosted numerous significant football events.

This loss deepens the difficulties for Luís Castro’s team, who have now gone two defeats and one draw in their last three matches before this Sul-Americana opener. The defeat leaves Grêmio at the bottom of Group F, with no points from their opening game. Montevideo City leads the group with three points, while Deportivo Riestra and Palestino share second place after a goalless draw in their match.

Reflecting on the performance, Luís Castro openly acknowledged the team’s poor showing, describing it as “the worst game of the season.” He attributed the defeat to multiple factors, including significant changes to the lineup and a lack of mental resilience. Castro noted that the team failed to recover from the previous match’s performance and was outplayed by their opponents throughout the game. He emphasized the mental aspect as a critical issue, recognizing it as a fatal weakness during this period.

Despite the setback, Castro maintained that the team’s work ethic and quality remain important, distinguishing between losing after a strong effort and losing due to subpar performance. He expressed concern over the current level of play, which he found particularly worrying given the team’s inability to reach a satisfactory standard in recent matches.

Looking ahead, Grêmio will need to address these challenges as they prepare for their next fixtures in the Sul-Americana group stage. The team faces pressure to improve both their mental and tactical approach to avoid further setbacks in the competition. Meanwhile, the group standings suggest a competitive environment where every point will be crucial for progression.