There are 28 teams classified for the group stage of the Copa Libertadores 2024 and this Tuesday, with the game they will play Puerto Cabello y Defensor Sportingthe path will begin to find out who will occupy those four places that are still vacant.
The Venezuelan team will host the Uruguayan starting at 9:30 p.m. in Argentina in the first leg of one of the keys of phase 1. The other two: Aurora in front of Melgar y Aucas ante National of Paraguay, that will open their crossings this Wednesday and Thursday at the same time respectively. The return of each of these three confrontations will be next week.
The winners will then take the field again the following week. By level 2, the winner of Puerto Cabello-Defensor Sporting will clash with National of Uruguay, while Botafogo wait for the result of Aurora and Melgar and National Athletic saved by Aucas or National of Paraguay.
In that same instance there are already confirmed duels and among them appears Godoy Cruz, who will fight to join River, Estudiantes, San Lorenzo, Rosario Central and Talleres as the Argentine representatives in the group stage of the highest continental competition. Tomba will face each other with Colo Colo: They will play the first leg in Mendoza on Thursday, February 22 and the second leg in Chile on Thursday the 29th of the same month, both at 9:30 p.m.
The other crossings are Rionegro Eagles-Bragantino, Always Ready-Sporting Cristal, Sportivo Trinidad-El Nacional and Portuguese FC-Palestine.
In total, adding them together, there are eight heads-up that will be played again in a double match and from which eight winners will emerge, which will become four when they face each other again in the phase 3 and those will qualify for the group stage, joining the 28 who entered directly. The four losers, meanwhile, will go to the South American Cup.
These are Fluminense, Palmeiras, River PlateFlamengo, Gremio, Peñarol, San Pablo and Liga de Quito, which will go to pot 1 of the draw, Atlético Mineiro, Independiente del Valle, Libertad, Cerro Porteño, Students of La Plata, Barcelona, Bolívar and Junior (pot 2), Saint Lawrence, The Strongest, University, Sportsmanship, Central Rosary, Lima Alliance, Millionaires and Córdoba Workshops (pot 3). Meanwhile, Caracas, Liverpool, Huachipato and Cobresal will go to pot 4, to which the four winners of the previous phase will be added.
Brazilwith eight teams (seven assigned places and the current champion Fluminense), and Argentina, with six, are the countries with the most representatives. And the great candidates for the title, again. It is enough to review the history to understand it: They have won 48 of the 64 editions, since it was held for the first time in 1960.
Furthermore, recent results show that the last 30 champions were shared between these two greats of the continent, with the exception of Atlético Nacional in 2016, Liga de Quito (2008), Once Caldas (2004) and Olimpia (2002).
In the absence of Boca Juniors, the Argentine who won the Libertadores the most times with six titles in his cabinets, River and Students, with four each, They are the main contenders to reach the grand final on November 30. Especially the Millionaire, who since 2015 has always accessed the direct elimination stages and has lifted the trophy twice since then.
Meanwhile, Brazil will send the defending champion Fluminense and the former champions Sao Paulo (3), Palmeiras (3), Gremio (3), Flamengo (3) and Atlético Mineiro (1).
Other former champions that will be in action are Peñarol (1960, 1961, 1966, 1982, 1987), Nacional of Uruguay (1971, 1980, 1988), Atlético Nacional (1989, 2016), San Lorenzo (2014), Liga de Quito (2008 ) and Colo Colo (1991).
In contrast, the absolute debutants will be Colombia’s Ríonegro Eagles, Paraguay’s Sportivo Trinidense and Venezuela’s Puerto Cabello Academy.
The crossings of phase 2 of the Libertadores
- Godoy Cruz vs. Colo Colo Rionegro
- Eagles vs. Bragantino
- Always Ready vs. Sporting Cristal
- Sportivo Trinidad vs. Sportivo Trinidad The National
- Portuguese FC vs. Palestinian
- Aucas or National (P) vs. National Athletic
- Puerto Cabello or Defender Sporting vs. National (U)
- Aurora o Melgar vs. Botafogo
Copa Libertadores 2024 schedule
This is how the Copa Sudamericana will be played
The six representatives of Argentina, who are Boca, Racing, Defense and Justice, Lanús, Belgrano and Argentinos Juniors, They will qualify directly to the group stage together with the six from Brazil (Athletico Paranaense, Internacional, Fortaleza, Cuiabá, Corinthians and Cruzeiro).
On the other hand, the four teams from each of the eight remaining countries will play phase 1, which will be two direct elimination series between compatriots. From there another 16 qualifiers will emerge. This instance will be played in a single match on the field of the first to be drawn.
The crossings, to be held between March 5 and 7, will be the following:
- Bolivia: Winter University vs. Winter University National of Potosí and Real Tomayapo vs. Real Tomayapo George Wilstermann.
- Chile: Everton vs. Unión La Calera and Unión Católica vs. Coquimbo Kingdom.
- Colombia: Deportes Tolima vs. Independiente Medellín and Alianza Petrolera vs. Cali America.
- Ecuador: Deportivo Cuenca vs. Dolphin and University Technician vs. Catholic Union.
- Paraguay: Guaraní vs. FC Barcelona Sportivo Luqueño and Sportivo Ameliano vs. Sportivo Luqueño Olimpia.
- Peru: Deportivo Garcilaso vs. Tarma Sports Association and César Vallejo University vs. Sportivo Huancayo.
- Uruguay: Wanderers vs. Danubio and Racing de Montevideo vs. Long Hill.
- Venezuela: Rayo Zuliano vs. La Guaira and Carabobo vs. Metropolitans.
Then, the four remaining teams to complete the 32 that will compete in the group stage will be the four losers of phase 3 of the Libertadores, among which Godoy Cruz could appear.
Definitely, If the Mendoza team beats Colo Colo, continental competition will be ensured, either Libertadores (if they win phase 3) or Sudamericana (if they lose).