A new Copa begins and five Argentine clubs are hoping to emerge as winners of the most important tournament in the Americas. Boca of course made it to the final last year, but once again a Brazilian club won the title. The last Argentine club to win it was Estudiantes in 2009. I think it's about time to bring the cup back to Argentina! Here are the teams that will be competing against America's best this year: Boca Juniors: With Carlos Bianchi and Juan Roman Riquelme back, and the signing of El Burrito Martinez to reunite him with Santiago Silva, Boca hopes to get back to the final and win it this time. Nothing but a return to the final will be acceptable to Boca's fans, but realistically El Virrey needs to fix the defense in order to make it far and have a legitimate shot at the title. Velez Sarsfield: The club from Liniers needs this tournament badly to validate internationally the success they've been having domestically. Led by coach Ricardo Gareca, they bring back a solid team, and the addition of Fernando Gago in midfield should be a boost. Lucas Pratto and Facundo Ferreira should make them dangerous offensively, and they should be considered legitimate contenders for the title. Newell's Old Boys: After an excellent 2012 season, Newell's brings an interesting team, with a mix of youth and experience. Tata Martino will have them ready, and as long as Ignacio Scocco remains hot, they could be a surprising dark horse team. Arsenal: Don't look for fireworks from this team, but they are well coached by Gustavo Alfaro and boast a solid defense led by Lisandro Lopez. Expect Grondona's team to be a tough opponent for anybody. Still, they probably lack the offensive talent to make it far. Tigre: After making it to the final of the Sudamericana -and we better not talk about what happened in Brazil- Tigre makes its Copa Libertadores debut. It will be a chance for emerging star Ruben Botta to shine, but it will be a challenge for Tigre to even get out of its group. Best of luck to all the Argentine clubs!
Good start for the Argentine Clubs. Boca loses to a midtable Mexican team and Velez loses to some Ecuadorian side. Hopefully, next year there will be more serious teams in the Copa, none of these equipitos like Arsenal, Velez, and Tigre. Newell's is the only team who a shot of making noise in this Copa
You can't blame the "equipitos" for making it, when some of the traditional big teams have been unable to find a way to qualify to Copa Libertadores for years. And other than Boca Juniors -of course- it's been "equipitos" like Estudiantes and Velez who carried the torch for Argentina internationally this century.
What has Velez done this century? They made less semifinals than my club. Obviously, River is the club with most semifinals made in the history of the copa and second most wins after nacional, so when a club like that was missing, its obvious we will feel it. Velez looks like they have turned it around. Boca perhaps as well. Velez i think will make it through. Boca as well, though you will need to beat Nacional to get through by the looks of it Newell's looks like they don't know whether to concentrate on the copa or the torneo and as a result, i doubt they'll do well in either. I had hope, but man they have a really small squad
I don't expect anything less from Boca. Velez and Newells should also advance. Arsenal and Tigre not.
So, Tigre pulls a win out of the hat at the end. And the Palmeiras players get beat up by their fans when they return home.
Hey Argentinos, what is it with some of your teams coming to my country and pulling this nonsense? When Boca, Velez, or Estudiantes came in recent times, these problems never happened. What is it with Arsenal assaulting our police? Can't you guys send teams that do a better job of representing your country's soccer traditions?
Arsenal didn't "assault" the police, they went to complain to the referee for some call prior to Mineiro's second goal the police as usual anywhere came to cover the referees, but they went a bit overboard and Arsenal players instead of retailating they tried to fight back, really there's no need to have a gun aiming at the players... But anyway it seems Arsenal will be sanctioned by CONMEBOL, sure they seem to sanction anybody for anything pretty quickly, still pending to see anything about São Paulo. Watch around 0:30 the cops started to hit the players, it's true the latter were stupid on fighting back. Anyway, Arsenal still has a shot at qualifying, but i think nor them nor Tigre will advance the rest pretty much will clearly.
Matadores ponga mas huevo... que tenemos que ganar!!!!!! Nearly all of the clubs in Argentina went through. Boca y Corinthians???
4 out of 5. The only one who didn't make it out was Arsenal, but they were in a tough group with Atletico Mineiro and Sao Paulo, and didn't make it out only because of goal difference (they were tied in 2nd place with the same amount of points as Sao Paulo). However, it looks like the Argentine teams will be eliminating each other: Newell's and Velez will face off in the Round of Sixteen, and the winner could face Boca if the Xeneizes get past Corinthians. Tigre is on the other side of the bracket and will face Olimpia. I'm sure the Paraguayans have a different opinion on Tigre after today's win that left Libertad out of the competition.
Yeah, Arsenal were in a tough group, no doubt. Boca isn't looking great so who knows. Newell's and Velez will be a game I will sit and watch. As for Tigre, lets go for the 3rd Paraguay team we may knock out(KO stage or group) in recent memory, Cerro Porteño(Copa Sudamericana,Libertad and now Olimpia). Sometimes I wonder(I know it's impossible) if Vasco was still around and had Traca,Chino,Morales(Cachete),Román Martínez and now Botta. Oh well, fun to dream, sure everybody has done it. Well, at least I know Massa is smiling right now . I am not a 100% sure but had Tigre not ate that late goal, they would've finished ahead? That meant they would've played Tijuana? Ahh got my answer.
Boca will be embarrassed by Corinthians. I'll probably be opening a bwin account just for this series. Its going to be terribly, terribly sad to watch
I hope we see a new winner. Either Mineiro, Flu, Santa Fe, Emelec, Newell's, or Xolos If it has to be a repeat winner, i'd hope for nacional or even corinthians
You guys have a domestic elimination fixture this week. Earlier in this tournament, some of you told me in the Libertadores forum that Vélez was “the class of” your country. Despite injuries, it managed to steal a win against Newell’s Old Boys. Coming into the return match, what are the predictions/analyses amongst the football pundits in your country? Whom do you guys see as the more realistic quarterfinalist?
Most pundits don't make predictions in Argentina. In fact, they never do except for rare cases or European matches. I'd say most pundits and fans know Newell's is a far superior team to Velez. Velez got lucky in Rosario. They created one chance and scored, Newell's hit the bar, and Sosa had a great game in goal. Newell's is the best team in Argentina and has been since Martino arrived. They ran out of gas in the Clausura 2012 and Inicial 2012, so the fans are desperate for a title, whether it be the liga or the copa. My prediction is for Newell's to win 3-1 in Liniers. Scocco had a great match over the weekend. In the first leg, he was coming off a broken toe and wasn't 100%. He will be the difference, Velez has no one of his quality. In the other game, its impossible to tell. Boca is garbage, but they some how have managed good results in the Copa. Hopefully Corinthinas wins. I think their coach had a horrible game plan in La Boca. He let Boca have the initiative. Caruzzo and Burdisso are terrible CBs and Corinthians should have run at them. I don't Corinthians will play that badly twice in a row. Tigre has a tough game, and they are without their best player Ruben Botta who is out for the season. I think Olimpia will win, but Tigre has resolve. We'll see what happens.
You play Newell's 3 times in a week. Then, if you're lucky enough to get through that, you get Ronaldinho, Bernard, and Atletico Mineiro. Good luck. Vamos Newells!!!! Scocco locura!!!! Scocco > Tristelme
And you guys get to play Estudiantes de Buenos Aires, right? Good luck! Or wait, you played them already I think. Never mind.