Rules

The rules of the Libertadores are very similar to the rules of the Champions
League. In the first stage, there are eight groups of four teams each.
Everybody plays each other twice inside the groups and the top two qualify
to the next stage. From that point on, the competition becomes knockout
style. The teams are paired and play each other twice, with aggregate scores
determining the winner. If the aggregate scores are level, there is no away
goals rule and the tie is decided on penalties.

The Groups
(*favourites do qualify)

GROUP 1
UNIVERSITARIO (Peru)
*VÉLEZ SARSFIELD (Argentina)
JUNIOR BARRANQUILLA (Colombia)
*ROSARIO CENTRAL (Argentina)

GROUP 2
*PALMEIRAS (Brazil)
SPORT BOYS (Peru)
UNIVERSIDAD DE CHILE (Chile)
*CERRO PORTEÑO (Paraguay)

GROUP 3
*NACIONAL (Uruguay)
DEPORTES CONCEPCIÓN (Chile)
JORGE WILSTERMANN (Bolivia)
*SAN LORENZO (Argentina)

GROUP 4
*CRUZEIRO (Brazil)
*OLIMPIA (Paraguay)
SPORTING CRISTAL (Peru)
EMELEC (Ecuador)

GROUP 5
GUARANÍ (Paraguay)
*EL NACIONAL (Ecuador)
*RIVER PLATE (Argentina)
THE STRONGEST (Bolivia)

GROUP 6
*VASCO (Brazil)
*PEÑAROL (Uruguay)
AMÉRICA DE CALI (Colombia)
DEPORTIVO TÁCHIRA (Venezuela)

GROUP 7
*SÃO CAETANO (Brazil)
OLMEDO (Ecuador)
*CRUZ AZUL (Mexico)
DEFENSOR (Uruguay)

GROUP 8
*BOCA JUNIORS (Argentina)
ORIENTE PETROLERO (Bolivia)
COBRELOA (Chile)
*DEPORTIVO CALI (Colombia)


Favourites

The favourites to win the 2001 Libertadores Cup are once again the teams
from Brazil and Argentina. The last team from another country to win the
competition was Colo Colo (Chile), in 1991.

Boca Juniors has a good chance of defending the title, followed by Cruzeiro
and Vasco from Brazil and archrivals River Plate. Current runner-ups
Palmeiras also dream with the title, but their squad isn't half as good as
last year's.


Tomaz R. Alves
tomaz@trivela.com
http://trivela.com