An absorbing Copa Libertadores group phase has rattled by in a flash of power cuts, on field brawls, red cards, centre halves in goal, and matches played at severe altitude or in the middle of the Andean desert. Occasionally some football broke out too. Four of the five Brazilian clubs have progressed to the knockout rounds, with Copa do Brasil winners Palmeiras narrowly missing out. How did the Brazilian clubs fare? Who awaits them in […]
The Copa Libertadores gets underway this month, a tournament that mirrors all that is mystifying, hilarious, stupid and fun about South American football. It is not so much the jewel in the crown of the continent’s elite, but more of a zoo in the jungle of southern hemisphere soccer. It will never match the prestige or the quality of the Champions League, but in my opinion, it easily outstrips its continental cousin in the entertainment […]
Corinthians, São Paulo, Internacional, Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro all emerged from the group phase of the Copa Libertadores unscathed. Some qualified with greater ease than others, Tite’s Corinthians consummately sailed through the ‘group of death.’ In contrast, Galo, who really ought to fit their supporters with pacemakers as standard, qualified by the skin of their teeth. The main obstacle to a Brazilian club snafuing this year’s Libertadores comes mainly from Argentina, specifically Boca Juniors, […]
The Copa Libertadores group stages start this week and the five Brazilian clubs taking part will look to improve on the country’s rather dismal showing in 2014. There were no Brazilian clubs in the last four, which, given Brazil’s economic supremacy over their South American brethren, represents a severe underperformance. As a paradigm, that’s the rough equivalent of all Premier League and La Liga teams striking out of the Champions League before the semi-final stage. […]
Oh Wally Wally, Wally Wally Wally Wally Wallyson. Botafogo qualified for the Copa Libertadores for the first time since 1996, as they beat Deportivo Quito by an aggregate score of 4-1 in the group qualifying phase. They went into the second leg at the Maracanã needing to overturn a 1-0 first leg defeat in Quito, after failing to live up to expectations in the first game. A defeat in the second leg was unthinkable. Botafogo’s problems […]
Atlético Mineiro continued the recent Brazilian domination of the most prestigious competition in South American club football, as they defeated Olimpia of Paraguay on penalties in an entertaining Copa Libertadores final. Galo needed to overturn a two goal deficit from the first leg in Paraguay, and the home fans who packed into the Mineirão (attendance 58,620) certainly gave their side a lift to claw back the two goals they needed to take the game to […]
The all important second leg of the Copa Libertadores final takes place this week, as Paraguayan club Olimpia take a two goal lead into the game in Belo Horizonte – the home of their Brazilian opponents, Atlético Mineiro. The in demand Brazilian winger Bernard will be looking to help his side turn the tie around, as he plays what could be his final game for the club before his transfer to one of the many […]
After giving Atlético Mineiro a vital early goal in their semi-final second leg against Newell’s Old Boys last night, Bernard went on to pick up a yellow card which means he’ll miss the first leg of the final. He gave his team the lead in the third minute of the game, with a first time left foot shot which zipped past Newell’s keeper Nahuel Guzmán. The Belo Horizonte born attacker used his blistering pace to latch onto a […]