Copa Libertadores 2017

[Macunaíma]

So it started early this year, and the best club tournament in the world is already at group stage! There were great matches already in the playoffs, with the traditional Libertadores atmosphere, and already great stories, like the one surrounding the match between Atlético Tucumán and El Nacional, and we expect it to only get better from now on.

This is also the first edition with the new rules, which apparently are inspired on the european Champions League. Now it stretches from February to November, having 42 weeks instead of 27, and has more teams (and no mexicans anymore). Another new thing is that 10 teams eliminated in the group stage (third places) and playoffs (the two best) will be transfered to Copa Sudamericana. I'm not a big fan of the changes, as I thought Libertadores was perfect as it was, and there are some restrictions that will surely make it worse (no flares and smoke is ridiculous). There was even talk of making the final a single match in a neutral stadium, a totally stupid move which would certainly kill the spirit of the Libertadores finals. Anyway, if you disagree, voice your opinion and let's discuss!

The teams:

Group 1
Atlético Nacional (COL)
Barcelona de Guayaquil (EQU)
Botafogo (BRA)
Estudiantes (ARG)

Group 2
Santa Fe (COL)
Santos (BRA)
Sporting Cristal (PER)
The Strongest (BOL)

Group 3
River Plate (ARG)
Emelec (EQU)
Independiente Medellín (COL)
Melgar (PER)

Group 4
Universidad Católica (CHI)
Atlético Paranaense (BRA)
Flamengo (BRA)
San Lorenzo (ARG)

Group 5
Peñarol (URU)
Jorge Wilstermann (BOL)
Palmeiras (BRA)
Atlético Tucumán (ARG)

Group 6
Atlético Mineiro (BRA)
Libertad (PAR)
Godoy Cruz (ARG)
Sport Boys (BOL)

Group 7
Nacional (URU)
Chapecoense (BRA)
Lanús (ARG)
Zulia (VEN)

Group 8
Guaraní (PAR)
Grêmio (BRA)
Zamora (VEN)
Deportes Iquique (CHI)

Who do you think will win?

[Knight of Heaven]

and the best club tournament in the world is already at group stage!

This is also the first edition with the new rules, which apparently are inspired on the european Champions League.

I just found this bit funny!!

Jokes aside, it is hard for me to say wich team has chances, as i dont folow south american football club competitions. And i doubt many people do outside of the area.

That said i hope Chape does it for the people they lost, or at least do a good run. Alltough i doubt it as obviously it is a different team, and probably not as good.

[Macunaíma]

Yeah, as I said I'm not a big fan of the changes, in part because of that, too. There's no point in imitating european competitions here, it's only for the sake of money. Football managing is a sad picture nowadays.

About Chape, they had a good start, winning their first match away in Venezuela. And I wouldn't be so sure that their current team is much worse than the one they had before, since a lot of Brazilian clubs lended them players to help them recover. I think they make it to the eighth finals.

[Pinkerton]

Yeah well my team is sucking ass, as always, so I don't expect us to go through the group stage.

[Macunaíma]

Mine isn't even competing, but I can't keep myself from watching the games. I have to root for the opponents of Grêmio, after all .

[Macunaíma]

Well, Pinkerton, San Lorenzo isn't sucking so much ass anymore it seems. Great chances of qualifying to the eight finals .

Judging by the football presented so far, I'd say that Palmeiras, Barcelona de Guayaquil, River Plate and Botafogo are the strongest contenders. Godoy Cruz is worthy of note as well. But everything is possible once the knockout stages start, of course. Libertadores is always unpredictable.