Libertadores 2007 [R]

The groups were released today. Here they are:

Grupo 1: Banfield (ARG), Libertad (PAR), El Nacional (EQU), "México 2 x Sporting Cristal (PER)"

Grupo 2: São Paulo, Audax Italiano (CHI), Alianza Lima (PER), "México 2"

Grupo 3: Grêmio, Cerro Porteño (PAR), "Colômbia 2", "Colômbia 3 ou Dep. Táchira (VEN)"

Grupo 4: Internacional, Nacional (URU), Emelec (EQU), "Velez Sarsfield (ARG) x Danúbio (URU)

Grupo 5: Flamengo, Real Potosi (BOL), Maracaibo (VEN), "Paraná ou Cobreloa (CHI)

Grupo 6: River Plate (ARG), Colo-Colo (CHI), Caracas (VEN), "Tacuary (PAR) ou LDU (EQU)"

Grupo 7: Boca Jrs. (ARG), Bolivar (BOL), "Peru 2", Toluca (MEX)

Grupo 8: Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata (ARG), Defensor Sporting (URU), Dep. Pasto (COL), "Santos ou Blooming (BOL)"

They were a very good club this year, but I think they will be worse this year. Palmeiras took their coach and several key players from them and my team, Flamengo, took their only striker and possibly one of their playmaking midfielders. They haven't signed anyone yet, but they will be receiving a package of players from Flamengo, who Flamengo did not plan to utilize this season.

They are going to play at Pinheirão, which holds about 35,000.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinheirão

It won't be any worse than going to the desert in 4000m altitude for their first game..

Santos is about to face Blooming from Bolivia in 15 minutes. Is anyone going to watch the game?

BLOOMING 0 X 1 SANTOS

Local: Estádio Ramón Aguilera, em Santa Cruz de La Sierra (Bolívia)
Árbitro: Líber Prudente (Uruguai)
Assistentes: Olivier Viera (Uruguai) e Robert Muniz (Uruguai)
Cartões amarelos: Pedro, Adaílton, Antônio Carlos (Santos), Gomez, Da Silva, Mendez, Wernly (Blooming)
Gol: Pedro, aos 3 minutos do segundo tempo

BLOOMING
Yadín Salazar, Suarez (Diego Juarez), De Carlos (Wernly), Jorge Ortiz e Gomez; Alexandre de Oliveira, Joselito Vaca, Mendez e Da Rosa; Dimas da Silva e Eduardo Fierro (Limbert Mendez)
Técnico: Alvaro Peña

SANTOS
Fábio Costa; Pedro, Adaílton, Antônio Carlos e Kléber; Maldonado (Ávalos), Rodrigo Souto, Cléber Santana e Zé Roberto; Rodrigo Tiuí (Rodrigo Tabata) e Fabiano (Marcos Aurélio)
Técnico: Vanderlei Luxemburgo

Can you explain to me why you hate Gremio and not Internacional? Do you even hate Inter at all?

I doubt Parana will beat Cobreloa, although I prefer them over Cobreloa since I don't want to see Fla go to the desert. Not only did they lose most of their team last year, but they lost their coach to Palmeiras and their key signings were Flamengo "C" players..

Blooming 0 x 1 Santos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guZ03W7QhD0

Cobreloa 0 x 2 Paraná
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDgHVjbCA_U

Haha, I was wrong. I guess this also shows why our league is so strong.

Parana lost 3/4 of their team and their coach last year. Most of their players (and their coach) went to Palmeiras and their artilheiro went to Flamengo. Their signings this year? Egidio, a player who hasn't played one single professional game for Flamengo since he was at the junior level this whole time, Vinicius Pacheco, who didn't fit into our plans this year and Josiel, a Brasiliense player who was nothing but average in Serie B. All of these players came off of loan.

Cobreloa apparently won the Clausura and lost in the semifinals for the championship. Paraná fielded their titulares in a match recently against Engenheiro Beltrão for the Paranaense and lost 3x0!!!

All groups are defined. Here they are:

Grupo 1:
Banfield-ARG
Libertad-PAR
El Nacional-EQU
América-MEX

Grupo 2:
São Paulo
Audax Italiano-CHI
Alianza Lima-PER
Necaxa-MEX

Grupo 3:
Grêmio
Cerro Porteño-PAR
Cucúta Deportivo-COL
Tolima-COL

Grupo 4:
Internacional
Nacional-URU
Emelec-EQU
Velez Sarsfield-ARG

Grupo 5:
Flamengo
Real Potosí-BOL
Maracaibo-VEN
Paraná

Grupo 6:
River Plate-ARG
Colo Colo-CHI
Caracas-VEN
LDU-EQU

Grupo 7:
Boca Juniors-ARG
Bolívar-BOL
Cienciano-PER
Toluca-MÉX

Grupo 8:
Gimnasia y Esgrima-ARG
Defensor-URU
Deportivo Pasto-COL
Santos

Copa Libertadores de America
Showtime in South America
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif](FIFA.com)[/FONT] [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]13 Feb 2007[/FONT]

The return of Boca Juniors and Flamengo provides the main attraction as the 48th Copa Libertadores de America moves into its second phase. Over the next few weeks 32 teams will battle it out in eight groups for a place in the last 16. The pot of gold awaiting the eventual champions is the continental crown and a place in the FIFA Club World Cup. FIFA.com is here to whet your appetite for what is sure to be an exciting week of action.

Big guns make a welcome return
When it comes to silverware and historic achievements, few sides in South America can match Boca Juniors and Flamengo. Determined to reaffirm their star status after missing out on last year's tournament, the big two make their Copa reappearance on Wednesday with away ties in Bolivia.
Having just welcomed Juan Roman Riquelme back to the Boca fold, Miguel Angel Russo's team kick off their campaign with a daunting, high-altitude encounter in La Paz against Victor Hugo Antelo's well-drilled Bolivar side. The Argentinians' other opponents in Group 7 are Toluca of Mexico and Peruvian hopefuls Cienciano.
Three-times Copa champions in the last six years, the Xeneizes are exuding quiet confidence ahead of their midweek summit meeting. "The altitude is always a problem, but we're not scared of them," commented Russo, who is set to name the same side that thrashed Banfield in their opening Clausura fixture at the weekend.
The Bolivians, however, have revenge on their mind after losing to the Buenos Aires giants in the final of the Copa Sudamericana in 2004. "They're a big name for sure, but we're full of confidence," said an upbeat Antelo. "We might not be in the best of form right now, but we couldn't be more motivated."
Flamengo, for their part, also face Bolivian opposition on Wednesday in the form of Real Potosi as they begin their bid for a trophy they last won in 1981. Acclaimed by their fans as "the most popular team in the world", the men from Rio de Janeiro booked their place in the tournament courtesy of last year's Brazilian Cup triumph and are confident of success in Group 5.
"It's always an honour to represent Brazilian football, but carrying the Flamengo flag is a tremendous source of pride in itself," declared coach Ney Franco. "We're tremendously excited about the Copa this year."
The week's other Group 5 encounter takes place on Thursday in Venezuela, where Maracaibo play host to Brazil's Parana, who earned their group berth after a preliminary round win over Chile's Cobreloa.

Sao Paulo on song
There is more to this week's action than big-name returns, however. Last season's runners-up Sao Paulo FC get the ball rolling in Group 3 on Wednesday, when they take on Audax Italiano in Chile.
Muricy Ramalho's team are in good heart after reaching the final for the last two years and defeating city rivals Corinthians in last weekend's Sao Paulo derby. "We don't know too much about them to be honest," admitted keeper Rogerio Ceni. "We've seen a few videos, though, and our only objective is to reach the final again and win the Copa."
Audax are making their tournament debut and the local press are confidently predicting a full house for Sao Paulo's eagerly anticipated visit. "What extra motivation do you need when you're playing a team like Sao Paulo, particularly when it's your Copa debut?" said Audax's Argentinian striker Franco di Santo. "We hope to acquit ourselves well and we're really up for it."
The action in Group 3 moves to Paraguay on Thursday, when Cerro Porteno host a Gremio side intent on reclaiming the crown currently in the possession of their neighbours and eternal rivals Internacional.
Over in Group 2 Colombian rivals Cucuta Deportivo and Deportes Tolima face off on Tuesday in an intriguing clash that reprises last season's league play-off final.
Cucuta emerged victorious on that occasion but then saw Jorge Pinto leave to become Colombian national coach, prompting them to lure Jorge Bernal away from Tolima as his replacement. "I've got to put my feelings to one side," said Bernal. "Today is all about Cucuta winning."
Tuesday's triple-header is completed by Emelec of Ecuador's home tie with Ricardo La Volpe's in-form Velez Sarsfield in Group 4, and the Group 8 clash between Uruguay's Defensor Sporting and Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata of Argentina, who are making only their second appearance in the competition.

This week's fixtures:
Tuesday 13
Cucuta (COL) - Deportes Tolima (COL)
Emelec (ECU) - Velez Sarsfield (ARG)
Defensor Sporting (URU) - Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata (ARG)
Wednesday 14
Audax Italiano (CHI) - Sao Paulo FC (BRA)
Real Potosi (BOL) - Flamengo (BRA)
Bolivar (BOL) - Boca Juniors (ARG)
Thursday 15
Cerro Porteno (PAR) - Gremio (BRA)
UA Maracaibo (VEN) - Parana (BRA)

Flamengo group games should be easier in comparision to what they had to go through today. They played in the highest city of the world, Potosi, which is 3967 meters. To go along with that, it was rainy and cold and the field they played on was in horrible conditions. Hopefully Fla can gain 3 points in the next round when Maracaibo comes to Maracanã.