02/05/2021 12:57
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 02/05/2021 13:07
The 2021 edition of the
Copa Libertadores de América got underway.
Although several countries still have tickets at stake for the continent's most important club competition, the path of the initial phases that will begin to be played on February 24 was mapped out.
The draw carried out at the Conmebol headquarters in Luque, Paraguay, determined that San Lorenzo, the only Argentine team to start the tournament in the preliminary brackets, will face the third representative of Chile in the second round.
Two dates from the closing of the local tournament, that place today is occupied by the Spanish Union, but according to the results that occur it could be Palestino or, to a lesser extent, Universidad de Chile or Unión La Calera.
🇨🇱 Chile 3 🆚 @SanLorenzo 🇦🇷
🏆 Draw of Phase 2 of CONMEBOL #Libertadores 2021 # GloriaEterna pic.twitter.com/kihs3g5E5D
- CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) February 5, 2021
The other six Argentine teams that will play the competition, Boca, River, Racing, Argentinos Juniors, Vélez and Defensa y Justicia, will have to wait until April 16 to find out what the maximum continental competition will hold in their respective groups.
Phases 2 and 3 of CONMEBOL #Libertadores!
➡ Four teams will reach the Group Phase pic.twitter.com/iRH7ckh6k4
- CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) February 5, 2021
Brazil
is the country that will have the largest representation in Libertadores, with
eight
spots available, while
Argentina
follows
, with
seven
spots.
The rest is shared equally with four places for each of the eight remaining South American federations.
The
Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF)
has seven seats but its quota was increased due to the recent consecration of Palmeiras in the 2020 Copa Libertadores, in whose final he beat Santos on January 30, at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro .
📅 Changes in the CONMEBOL #Libertadores 2021 calendar!
The competition will begin the week of 02/24 and the draw for the Group Phase will be 04/16.
pic.twitter.com/aN8uSicMnJ
- CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) February 5, 2021
The same happens with the Argentine Football Association (AFA): to the
six
fixed
quotas
he added an additional one for the coronation of Defense and Justice in the South American Cup (he defeated Lanús at the Mario Kempes Stadium in Córdoba), which also classified him to
Libertadores
2021.
Which countries have not defined their classifieds
The coronavirus pandemic caused a shift in football calendars, so there are countries that still have not resolved all their qualifiers for the
Copa Libertadores
.
They are the cases of
Brazil
,
Uruguay
and
Chile
, which decided to resume their competitions without modifying formats despite the fact that they were interrupted for several months, and this led to the delay of their respective definitions.
👋🇧🇷 Welcome, @SCInternacional!
A two-time Cup champion who has already secured his place in CONMEBOL #Libertadores 2021.
🏆 It will be his 1⃣4⃣ participation.
pic.twitter.com/R2nRUQMKHQ
- CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) February 1, 2021
The completion of the
Brasileirao
is scheduled for February
24
, and the first two teams from that country to intervene in the
Cup
will do so from
Phase 2
, which
is scheduled to
begin on
March 10
.
The situation in
Uruguay
is more complex.
As the champion will be known after the beginning of the
Libertadores
group phase
, the
Uruguayan Football Association (AUF)
defined to grant the places according to the position of the teams in the annual table ten days before each instance of the
Cup
.
In other words, the team that occupies the
Uruguay 4 place
, which must start playing in the first phase on February 24, will be for the one that is fourth in the annual table once the date that will be played on the weekend of February 12-14.
🔴⚫ Welcome back, @Flamengo!
The CONMEBOL #Libertadores champion 1981 and 2019 secured a spot in the 2021 Cup. Pic.twitter.com/C5eOT4oQWc
- CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) February 5, 2021
Uruguay 3
, which will intervene from
Phase 2
(March 10), will be for the one that is third in the positions on the weekend of February 28.
While those who are first and second in the table on April 14 will be those who enter directly into the group stage.
At the time of the
Libertadores
draw
, the first four located in the annual Uruguayan soccer table were Nacional, Montevideo City Torque, Peñarol and Rentistas.
Palmeiras, as reigning champion, also has his place in Libertadores 2021. (EFE)
In Chile, meanwhile, the championship has three dates left.
The classifications of
Universidad Católica
and
Unión La Calera
, leader and escort, respectively, have
already been defined
.
But the final position of both remains to be known, since they are separated by only three points and will face each other on the penultimate round.
The schedule of the Copa Libertadores
The tournament already has the confirmed schedule.
The first phase will begin on February 24, the second will begin on March 10 and the third will end on April 7 after the first double date of the South American Qualifiers for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Then the most attractive part of the contest begins, the group stage, which will begin on April 21 and is scheduled to end the week of May 24 to 30.
On June 2 there will be a draw for the 16 teams that will seek the coveted trophy.
The round of 16 will be from July 12 to 18, after the Copa América organized by Argentina and Colombia;
While the quarters will be played from August 11, the semifinals are scheduled for September 22 and 29 and the final, with the venue yet to be designated on November 20.
What are the qualifiers to the Libertadores
Seven of the ten countries already know all the teams that will participate in the 62nd edition of the Copa Libertadores, among which are Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.
Argentina
Boca Juniors (champion of the Argentine Super League 2019-20).
Defense and Justice (champion of the South American Cup 2020).
River Plate (first in the general table of the 2019-20 season).
Racing Club (second in the general table of the 2019-20 season).
Argentinos Juniors (third in the general table of the 2019-20 season).
Vélez Sarsfield (fourth in the general table of the 2019-20 season).
San Lorenzo (fifth in the general table of the 2019-20 season).
Bolivia
Always Ready (2020 Professional Division champion).
The Strongest (2020 Professional Division runner-up).
Bolívar (third of the 2020 Professional Division).
Royal Pari (fourth of the 2020 Professional Division).
Brazil
Palmeiras (champion of the 2020 Copa Libertadores).
Inter de Porto Alegre (leader of the Brasileirao 2020).
Flamengo (escort of the Brasileirao 2020).
Chile
Universidad Católica (leader of the First Division 2020).
Unión La Calera (guard of the First Division 2020).
Colombia
América de Cali (champion of the Primera A 2020).
Independiente Santa Fe (runner-up in Primera A 2020).
Junior de Barranquilla (third reclassification from First A 2020).
Atlético Nacional (fourth reclassification from First A 2020).
Ecuador
Barcelona de Guayaquil (champion of Serie A 2020).
Quito League (runner-up in Serie A 2020).
Independiente del Valle (third in the accumulated table of Serie A 2020).
Universidad Católica (fourth of the accumulated table of Serie A 2020).
Paraguay
Cerro Porteño (Apertura 2020 champion, best placed in the accumulated table).
Olimpia (champion of the Clausura 2020 Tournament, worst placed in the accumulated table).
Freedom (third of the accumulated table).
Guaraní (quarter of the accumulated table).
Peru
Sporting Cristal (League 1 2020 champion).
University (runner-up in League 1 2020).
Ayacucho (semi-finalist of League 1 2020).
Universidad César Vallejo (third in the accumulated table of League 1 2020).
Venezuela
Deportivo La Guaira (champion of the First Division 2020).
Deportivo Táchira (runner-up in the 2020 First Division).
Deportivo Lara (third of the First Division 2020).
Caracas FC (fourth of the 2020 First Division).
The draw for the Copa Sudamericana
In the ceremony, before taking out the balls that determined the crosses of the Libertadores, the draw for the initial phase of the South American Cup was held.
The six Argentine teams already classified to the tournament that will be added in the next instance are: Independiente, Newell's, Rosario Central, Talleres, Lanús and Arsenal. The distribution of groups is planned in another draw, on April 14.
The group stage will take place from April 21 to May 26 to give rise to a hiatus during the Copa América 2021, which will be played in Argentina and Colombia from June 9 to July 7.
🔜🙌 All confirmed matches!
CONMEBOL #Sudamericana is coming!
#LaGranConquista pic.twitter.com/ZOUnxGZUUd
- CONMEBOL Sudamericana (@Sudamericana) February 5, 2021
The eighths, quarters and the semifinals will run later, while the single final is called for November 6, and the winner earns the right to play the Recopa Sudamericana in round-trip matches.