I remember some tough groups, and some easy ones. But this time the draw was made before it was known if it would be Boca or Velez. If Boca lost that match, they'd be where Estudiantes is - assuming they got past the first round.
I sympathize with the palestinian cause as well, hopefully the team will pass group stages. I see the coming in second place, should in paper have a decent chance vs Wanderers. I cant remember the last time a chilean team didnt pass the pre-group games. Nice to beat a giant from Uruguay.
Another thing to point out is that Palestino is Nacional's daddy: up until the loss on Thursday, Palestino had a 2W-1D record against them.
There are always bound to be easy groups and hard groups, I think we can count ourselves lucky that at least when the group stage is over the teams are seeded 1-16 and then its straight knock out with no shenanigans in other draws like they do in Europe. I mean, who could have predicted that Real Madrid would have been drawn against whipping boys Shalke yet again? On the Argentine teams in the competition- I want to see Huracan do well but I think their 4-0 win in Lima may be a bit of fool's gold. As locoxriver said Allianza is going through a serious institutional crisis by all accounts and the violence/threats/assaults from the barra is not helping the players. El Globo also lost their star player- Gonzalo Martinez- and in their first match in the league in Argentina they lost 1-0 to Union. I didn't see the game, but they played their starting XI from the Copa and according to this morning's Olé it was an absolutely dire performance. I'm not sold on Racing by any means. I think they'll get through their group because its so easy, but I don't see them doing much more than that. They made an interesting signing, the Paraguayan Romero from Cerro Porteño is very good, but we'll need to see how well he adapts and where he fits in. Their other signings, Brian Fernandez and Washington Camacho are decent players from a tiny club with more experience in the B Nacional than in Primera and one has to wonder how much of an impact players like that can make in the Libertadores. I saw Racing on Friday night play Rosario Central and they were woeful. Absolutely no creativity in midfield. I also wonder just how much Milito has left in the tank. He may have just given all he had to winning the torneo inicial and now he has the rigors of two competitions to deal. Will Bou be able to keep up his hot streak? he never scored like that in his career for any of the clubs he played for (River, Olimpo, Gimnasia, Liga de Quito) and wouldn't be surprised if he hit a dry run. San Lorenzo will be a huge failure in this year's copa, as has been beaten to death on the board, so no point in going into further detail. The other Argentine teams I think will make it through very easily even Estudiantes who is a dangerous team in this Copa and they reinforced very, very well.
This Libertadores has a lot of promise as there are 12 previous champions, with 3 champions (including the reigning champion) in one group. As well, both Brazil and Argentina are fielding some of its most traditional Libertadores participants. The one glaring absence from Argentina is Independiente, who has not been a top-flight international competition contender in recent time, but who nonetheless has tons of history. From Brazil, the noticeable absences are Santos and Grêmio. Palmeiras, Flamengo, and Vasco all won the Copa once each, but Santos and Grêmio won it 3 and 2 times respectively and the latter only failed to make it thanks to a few adverse results in the final rounds of the 2014 Brazilian league. The Brazilian sports media has been talking much about this Wednesday's Corinthians vs. São Paulo Group 2 opener. Both teams have reasons for optimism. Corinthians has Tite back, as I wrote earlier, and during his absence from Corinthians (he was speculated to be the post-2014 World Cup Brazil NT manager - I actually thought it was a good idea to hire him), he traveled the world meeting with coaches (Carlo Ancelotti, Carlos Bianchi), and studying tactics (he watched Real Madrid training sessions). And Tite has built a defensively solid team in this young 2015 season, as Corinthians was scored on only twice (1-1 at Once Caldas and 2-1 vs. Botafogo-SP). And his is a side with good team chemistry which promises to heavily mark opponents, as we saw in 2012. São Paulo is arguably not as much of a well-oiled machine as its rival, but it has one of the best, if not the best, roster in Brazil. Rogério Ceni, Tolói, Dória, Ganso, Luis Fabiano, Breno, Alan Kardec, Alexandre Pato, Centurión. Ironically, although Muricy Ramalho took São Paulo to a three-peat league trifecta from 2006 to 2008 with defensively ferocious squads, in 2015, Ramalho has received a group of players known for its offensive prowess. SPFC has delivered offensively in the current Campeonato Paulista (São Paulo state tournament): 3-1, 4-2, 2-0, 0-0, 5-0 results: averaging almost 3 goals per game. Corinthians is also unbeaten in 2015, winning 3-0, 0-1, 2-1 in the Campeonato Paulista, defeating Once Caldas 4-0, and drawing in Colombia 1-1. Corinthians' most meaning victory, other than the 4-0 which all but sealed its participation in the Libertadores, was its away 0-1 win at Palmeiras, in what was its first visit to Palmeiras' new stadium. However much expectation there is for this match, there will be some notable absences. Paolo Guerrero must fulfill a mandatory suspension thanks to a red card vs. Once Caldas. Alexandre Pato is contractually forbidden from facing Corinthians unless SPFC pays 1.8 million Brazilian reals per match. And, Centurión must also fulfill a CONMEBOL suspension thanks to a red card he earned in the 2013 Copa Sul-Americana (Lanús vs. Racing). And there's also the rivalry factor: two teams with tons of history but who will meet in Libertadores play for the first time. Memories of 1999 and 2000 return, when Palmeiras and Corinthians met a few times, with Palmeiras knocking out Corinthians in both tournaments' knockout brackets. Whatever the result, when both teams meet again in April at Morumbi Stadium for the final match of the group, much will be at stake: bragging rights, a very possible definition of #1 and #2 seedings in the group, and another page in the history of Brazilian and Libertadores competition.
It's strange... a lot of teams will be debuting in the Libertadores group stage with their substitutes.. It's usually the opposite: they field a different team in the league in order to preserve the starters for the debut Copa game (the first 3 points are always very important), but this time around we'll be seeing many alternative teams. Someone here mentioned that the coach of Tigres plans on using an alternative side throughout the Libertadores to prioritize the Mexican league. But they're not the only ones.. My team, River, will be travelling to play at an altitude of 3,800m in Oruro on Thursday without many key starters -- Teo Gutierrez (2014 South American player of the year), Lionel Vangioni, Ariel Rojas, and Matias Kranevitter.. Ramiro Funes Mori will also be out, but due to suspension. So in our case that's already half of the team missing. Now I'm also reading that Palestino will be debuting with subs vs. Boca. Guede, their coach, says he has a very limited squad of only 20 players and that he must rest the starters for their upcoming weekend Copa Chile final vs. Colo Colo, meaning he will field a combination of subs and youngsters vs. Boca on Wednesday ( "Seguramente haré muchos cambios. Jugarán algunos juveniles. Lo importante es el partido con Colo Colo"). Any other teams fielding alternative sides in the first round?
There is speculation São Paulo may deploy a mixed roster on Wednesday. Over the weekend, Muricy Ramalho used a hybrid lineup with substitutes against Bragantino. The result: a 0-5 away victory. Granted, Bragantino is nowhere as tough an opponent as Corinthians is going to be, but the team played very well.
Just a clarification, Palestino coach said this as a warning to the first 11 that if they dont put the same effort in the league they would be punished by not being played before Boca. I doubt it will come through and I expect Palestino to field their best.
One thing about Palestino, they are an attacking team, regardless of who starts. They are not going to park the bus in front of the goal like Olimpo did on Sunday. I respect that. Boca still should beat them, though. Wow, what an orgy of games starting today! Doesn't get much better than this.
It's way too early for this, but with so many former champions in this tournament, I'm already imagining the potential matchups starting in the round of 16. Imagine, for example: Cruzeiro vs. Estudiantes: Cruzeiro got "revenge" for 2009 in 2011, but what about this year? Corinthians vs. Boca Juniors: the 3rd time in 4 years these teams would meet. Atl.-MG vs. Atl.-Nacional: both former champions, and the latter eliminated the former in 2014. Payback? São Paulo vs. River Plate: former champions who dueled in 2005, and have huge followings in their countries. Internacional vs. Estudiantes: former champions who had a field brawl in 2010. Not to mention the obvious same-country possibilities: Boca Juniors vs. River Plate Cruzeiro vs. Atl.-MG São Paulo vs. Corinthians Estudiantes vs. Racing
Its funny you mention the Estudiantes-Racing- I'm not sure if your aware of this or not, but Racing and Estudiantes is a bit of a rivalry. Racing's hinchada (fan base) is friends with the hinchada of Gimnasia de La Plata- the clasico rival of Estudiantes. Also, any time River or Boca plays Racing its also a clasico. In fact, River-Racing is the oldest clasico in Argentine football, several years older than the Superclasico. Its very strange to see a Libertadores without the big two from Uruguay. This is the first time since 1990 that both Nacional and Peñarol have missed out. Also the big 2 from Paraguay is also out. No Olimpia or Cerro Porteño... I'm most looking forward to the Sao Paulo-Corinthians match, hopefully we won't see any scenes of violence like the ones in the Corinthians-Palmerias game
Racing and GELP are no longer friends, it was broken a couple of years ago. In any case, we still hate Estudiantes, as any self-respecting fan should, and it would make for a great match. But I only care about Táchira today.
Yeah on paper, Boca should destory Palestino. As for Universidad de Chile, we are almost last in the league, hopefully Emelec will help us get back in order.
Fixed your spelling. I was vaguely aware that Racing and Estudiantes had a bit of a rivalry. You mentioned scenes of violence - I really would not want to be a police chief in charge of security if Newell's Old Boys and Rosario Central were to meet in a Libertadores knockout stage. Uruguayan league soccer has declined. Danubio is the reigning champion and it's good to see variety, but there's only so much they can do. Peñarol's 2011 run to the finals was exceptional not just because of how they got there but because it was unexpected. Olimpia is the only copeiro team from Paraguay. As for Corinthians vs. São Paulo, both teams have agreed to help defray costs for bus rides for fans after the stadium. Which means São Paulo fans will have buses to take them back to downtown São Paulo from Itaquera, which is on the outskirts of the city (I think I went there once in my entire life and I didn't like it), and in April, São Paulo will share costs for Corinthians fans after the return match at Morumbi Stadium.
Everybody hates Estudiantes, ever since Zubeldía put them on the map. But they always seem to get up for La Copa. Boca vs San Lorenzo would also be a good matchup. The cuervos are the only team in Argentina that has a winning record against Boca and they never let us forget it. We should beat them this time though, paternity or not.
San Lorenzo & Sao Paulo are my favourite clubs in CONMEBOL, and both are in Group 2 Hope both will qualify, even if in this group play one of the biggest local rival of Sao Paulo, Corinthians Paulista.
Merecido gol de Emelec, y de visita. La U desconocida. Miller Bolaños ha estado imposible para la defensa bullanguera.
http://www.espnfc.com/copa-libertadores/58/scores You can click on the games to see minute-by-minute live updates..