First stage E1 - Montevideo Wanderers vs. Olimpia 22 Jan 26 Jan E2 - Macará vs. Deportivo Táchira 22 Jan 26 Jan E3 - Oriente Petrolero vs Universitario 22 Jan 26 Jan Second stage C1 - E2 vs Santa Fe 1 Feb 8 Feb C2 - Chapecoense vs Nacional 31 Jan 7 Feb C3 - E3 vs Jorge Wilstermann 1 Feb 8 Feb C4 - Carabobo vs Guaraní 30 Jan 6 Feb C5 - E1 vs Junior 1 Feb 8 Feb C6 - Universidad de Concepción vs Vasco da Gama 31 Jan 7 Feb C7 - Banfield vs Independiente del Valle 30 Jan 6 Feb C8 - Santiago Wanderers vs Melgar 30 Jan 6 Feb Third stage G1 - C1 v C8 13 Feb 20 Feb G2 - C2 v C7 14 Feb 21 Feb G3 - C3 v C6 14 Feb 21 Feb G4 - C4 v C5 15 Feb 22 Feb Group stage Grupo 1: Grêmio, Cerro Porteño (PAR), Defensor (URU) e Monagas (VEN) Grupo 2: Atlético Nacional (COL), Bolívar (BOL), Colo Colo (CHI) e Delfin (EQU) Grupo 3: Peñarol (URU), Libertad (PAR), The Strongest (BOL) e Atlético Tucumán (ARG) Grupo 4: River Plate, Emelec (EQU), Flamengo e Ganhador 1 Grupo 5: Cruzeiro, Universidad de Chile, Racing (ARG) e Ganhador 3 (caminho do Vasco) Grupo 6: Santos, Estudiantes (ARG), Real Garcilaso (PER) e Ganhador 2 (caminho da Chapecoense) Grupo 7: Corinthians, Independiente (ARG), Millonarios (COL) e Deportivo Lara (VEN) Grupo 8: Boca Juniors, Palmeiras, Alianza Lima (PER) e Ganhador 4 Miscellaneous - 14 champions in group stage, and 3 champions in 1st and 2nd stages; if Olimpia, Nacional, and Vasco all reach group stage, 17 champions out of 32 teams, with Groups 5, 6, and 8 with 3 champions each. - 8 Brazilians, 7 Argentines, and 4 from every other nation. - 47 previous Copa Libertadores titles represented by the 17 champions from the qualifying rounds to the group stage out of 58.
The Colombians are looking really strong for the next year. My 3 favourites for now are Junior, Atletico Nacional and Boca. Junior will have Yimmi Chara, Teo Gutierrez, Alberto Rodriguez, Viera, Vladimir Hernandez and Piedrahita. Crazy squad and they did well in the Sudamericana, so I rate their chances. Atletico Nacional will have Gio Moreno, Carlos Cuesta, Ronaldo Lucena, Dayro Moreno and Bocanegra. For me not as strong as Junior but still a very good team. Boca I believe needs no introduction.
Palmeiras, Boca and Junior (in case they qualify) will share group.......so that will be a problem...
very curious to see Junior, Nacional have a top manager. I saw them briefly against Mineiro and they were playing some great football like the old days. A few signings here and there and they should be on track imo. they got some guys coming in so we'll see how they do.
Santa Fe defeated river very welll......maybe they need more dangerous at the top....but with gregorio they can get in the round of groups
My take on argentine teams this year... Boca isn't as good as people think, they have great individuals but they don't play as a team. Their international pedigree (aka el culo de Boca) is what can take them far. River and Independiente are better as teams in my opinion. River bought players in the two positions they were struggling (a GK -Armani- and ST -Pratto-). Independiente lost Barco to Atlanta United but they are buying good attack players and regardless, their strength is in the team plan, not the individuals. Racing has fantastic attack trio with Lisandro Lopez, Lautaro Martínez and Centurión but their defense is too crappy to take them far I think. They hired Coudet as coach who is good but we have to see. Estudiantes is trash this year I think they won't make it out of the group. Banfield doesn't have any big names but they are very good defense and counter team, Nacional or Chapecoense should be careful if they meet them.
Hopefully the Libertadores thread is more active this year. I don't get playing national anthems at club level. I don't mind it though at least not until they start playing the state and municipal anthems
My take on the Peruvian teams Universitario were never gonna go far, so I suppose its not too shocking they lost to Oriente Petrolero. Melgar might reach the groups. They should sweep the floor with Santiago Wanderers but after that its likely they'll get Santa Fe who are so up and down. I wouldn't be able to call that match to be honest. Anyhow, they will go into Flamengo, River and Emelecs group which means thats as far as they can realistically go. Real Garcilaso are not as strong as last year but I think they got a fairly favourable group. If they can take advantage of the altitude and win their home games, I think they can surprise and at least finish 3rd. As for Alianza... well I had faith in them but they have the hardest group in the history of anything. I think it would be unfair to judge them even if they go out with 0 points.
¡Qué mal equipo es la Universidad de Concepción! Si los brasileños no les meten más goles es porque no han querido. Hasta Pikachú les metió uno.
Vasco is a team that has gone through some turmoil, and the last time it was in the Libertadores it was in 2012, when it gave Corinthians an extremely tough 180 minutes with a goal that it had in the bag and wasted. I've never liked Vasco because of Eurico Miranda, whom I see as the incarnation of all that is corrupt and retrograde in domestic Brazilian soccer, but I won't blame Vasco's players, many who are young and who simply want to win. Vasco did well yesterday; that goal with nice teamwork and a cool back pass was a beauty. One match at a time, but I can see Vasco triumphing in the 3rd stage and making things interesting alongside Cruzeiro, Universidad de Chile, and Racing.
Gotta love the fans of Nacional, who went to Brazil and mocked Chapecoense's plane crash. A Uruguayan team hasn't won the Libertadores in quite some time and after seeing this display I sure won't mind if the streak is extended by another year.
See, that's how the xenophobia cycle is fed and perpetuated. Obviously, those Nacional fans went for the cheapest shot they could think of, because that's what dumb sport fans do. Another example of dumb sport fans in South America: Gremio fans who shouted racist abuse at Santos keeper Aranha in 2014. And I am not taking about the light-skinned woman that Brazilian TV cameras focused on. I refer to the dark-skinned torcedores behind Aranha's goal, the actual fans who Aranha denounced in the first place. It would be silly to say that such behavior is perfect example of *Brazilians showing their class, like always*. Reality is that such fans are no good for the sport, and hopefully will learn to behave better. Club Nacional of Montevideo has identified one of the offenders, whose club membership will be revoked. Not sure if that would be enough punishment, though. https://www.nacional.uy/institucion/noticias/item/comunicado-de-la-comision-directiva.html Uruguayan sport press say that club Chapecoense has asked Conmebol to expel Nacional from Libertadores 2018, as punishment for its fans' irresponsible behavior. However, that is a bit much. Libertadores 2018 regulations do not allow such punishment for offensive fan behavior. https://www.ovaciondigital.com.uy/futbol/chapecoense-solicito-conmebol-expulsion-nacional.html
Damn... dumb sport fans everywhere, making fun of the deceased. And to think that actual labor+time was spent by that Flamenguista. It is time that clubs punish irresponsible fans accordingly, since Conmebol will not do it. Even clubs with violent fans go with a slap on the wrist: - 2015, Boca Juniors punishment is reduced, after fans throw pepper spray at River Plate players. - 2013, Corinthians punishment is reduced, after fans kill a San José fan with a flare (a 14-year-old kid).
I defended Melgar for the longest time, but they have become indefendable after that showing. They aren't that bad but in continental competitions, they just choke. I'm not having the excuse that "Peru isn't good enough for Libertadores" either. Santiago Wanderers aren't better than Cristal, Alianza or Real Garcilaso. Also, I see my tournament favourites made it past Olimpia. Not sure if I have them as favourites anymore, but at least they didn't get knocked out immediately
All these results in pre-libertadores confirm what was already known about the level of the different leagues: Brazil and Argentina at the top. Colombia clear 3rd, then huge gap to: Uruguay/Chile/Ecuador/Paraguay, all around the same level but for different reasons: Ecuador and Chile because of their decent purchasing power of foreigners, Uruguay and Paraguay clubs are dead poor but do good work in youth development. Then Peru, then Bolivia (only because of altitude), Venezuela bottom.
I'd put Peru & Venezuela at the bottom, with Uruguay near the bottom because they never do much and are lucky not to finish last in their groups. Bolivia has been doing a lot better, getting teams past the group stage. Chile is in a downward spiral, and Ecuador is my #4 above Paraguay.