The Wolf beat Belgrano 2‑1, briefly lifting Gimnasia to fourth in the annual standings.
Gimnasia’s victory over Belgrano unfolded as follows
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Gimnasia wrapped up a strong Clausura group stage by edging Belgrano 2‑1 on matchday 16, now awaits its round‑of‑16 opponent and upcoming results to gauge any shot at the 2027 Libertadores, besides a possible title route.
The Bosque win pushed the team to 57 points, slotting them into fourth; if they hold that spot after the round, their Libertadores hopes surge.
Yet maintaining that rank won’t be easy, as several other outcomes must fall in their favor.
- Vélez must lose away to Unión
- Independiente Rivadavia needs to drop points at Gimnasia (M)
- Instituto must not beat Newell’s at home. Can they hold off the surge?
Depending on the position after Clausura’s 16th date, Gimnasia will rely on one or two Libertadores spots becoming available.
Boca Juniors, Argentinos Juniors and Rosario Central already sit in the top three of the annual table and have secured next year’s Libertadores spots, so the Wolf must keep tabs on them. It’s a steep climb for Gimnasia.
Should any of those three capture the Clausura crown, an extra slot opens for the annual table (currently occupied by the Wolf); alternatively, a Boca win in the Sudamericana would add another berth.
In short, Gimnasia can still clinch a 2027 Libertadores place even if they slip to fifth overall, provided neither Vélez, Independiente Rivadavia nor Instituto overtake them.