The Libertadores has begun, with first round preliminary matches last week and this week. Brazilian teams enter the tournament next week, with Bahia vs O'Higgins (Chile) and Botafogo vs. Nacional Potosí for the second round (first match away, and second match at home for the two Brazilian teams). If they make the third round, Botafogo will face the winner of Barcelona (Ecuador) x Argentinos Juniors and Bahia will face the winner of Deportivo Táchira or The Strongest x Deportes Tolima. The group stage draw will be on Wednesday, March 18 Flamengo, Palmeiras and Fluminense will be pot 1 teams Corinthians and Cruzeiro will be in pot 2 Mirassol and Bahia and Botafogo (if they qualify) will be in pot 4 Brazil are on a streak of 7 wins in a row and I'm not sure who the biggest challengers will be this year. Maybe the Ecuadorian teams (LDU and IDV). Boca are of course the most traditional one (and in pot 1), but River didn't make it this year, nor did Racing. Everything points to an 8th Brazilian title in a row. The biggest question is who will have the team and the legs to come out on top after a long-year, including the World Cup break before the play-offs. First group matches will be the week of April 7
In the first preliminary round, although there were no Brazilian teams, there was a border city team: 2 de Mayo, a Paraguayan team on the border with Brazil (Ponta Porã, Mato Grosso do Sul), pulled of the upset and held on to eliminate Alianza Lima. They won at home, 1x0 and last night they got a 1x1 draw in Peru, to win the play-off. Now they facing another Peruvian team, Sporting Cristal. Whoever wins that match-up plays the winner of Carabobo x Huachipato for a spot in Pot 4 and the group stage. So there's a small chance that a team that's on the border with Mato Grosso do Sul could make it to the group stage.
Botafogo beat Potosi and will face the winner of Barcelona x Argentinos Jrs (they are playing now1x1 on aggregate). EDIT: Barcelona win on PKs. Botafogo x Barcelona will be the round 3 match-up. Bahia are out on penalties to O'Higgins. 2 de maio, the border city team, was eliminated as well.
Botafogo lost at home to Barcelona, 1x0. Overall they lose 2x1 on aggregate. Brazil will have only 6 teams in the group stage: Flamengo, Palmeiras and Fluminense will be pot 1 teams Corinthians and Cruzeiro will be in pot 2 Mirassol will be pot 4
The groups were drawn today. Notable draws: Fluminense get Bolivar in their group, so they have to face the altitude. Palmeiras meet Cerro Porteno again. Mirassol also have to travel to the altitude of Bolivia for matches against Always Ready, and also have LDU (more altitude!) and Lanus in their group. If they get through in their first ever Libertadores that will be another amazing feat. Cruzeiro get Boca Juniors. I do think they can win that group if they sort themselves out. Flamengo get Estudiantes. They could slip to second if they're not careful. They should win their two first matches (Cusco and Ind. Medellin) before even facing Estudiantes. But then again Cusco is at altitude... Let's see if Flamengo under Jardim are weak in the group, as they tend to be, or if they dominate like they should on paper. Corinthians are in Penarol's group.
Libertadores started last night for Brazilian teams. Fluminense drew 0x0 away at La Guaira in Venezuela. The goalkeeper for La Guaira was man of the match (got a 9.7 on sofascore). Cruzeiro won 1x0 at Barcelona (Ecuador). A pretty important result in what is a complicated group. Flamengo (at Cusco) and Palmeiras (at Junior Barranquilla) play tonight. The first game is always away to the team from the 4th pot, so theoretically "easy" except for the travel conditions or away atmosphere. Mirassol also start today. Since they're the 4th pot team in their group, they are at home to Lánus. The last Brazilian team to estreiar is Corinthians, tomorrow at Platense. In the sulamericana, São Paulo started well with an away win at Boston River (Uruguay). Vasco tied 0x0 at Barracas (Argentina). The biggest news around the Vasco game was that Renato Gaúcho didn't even travel with the team. He and the starters stayed home to prepare for the weekend Brasileirão match. Atlético-MG, Santos and Grêmio debut today. Santos without Neymar of course (away match). And Botafogo starts tomorrow.
Mirassol, who have not been doing well this season (which is normal after such a rapid raise) opened their Libertadores campaign with a 1x0 win over Lánus.
Good start for Flamengo with a 2x0 win away in altitude, instead of a "Flamengada" that too often happens in the Libertadores. Palmeiras went down but got a 1x1 draw away. It won't be the 6 wins out of 6 group Palmeiras often puts together in the Libertadores, but an away draw is fine if they do their job at home.