16 Teams Remain Alive In South America’s Largest Club Tournament
By Luca Galvao – LA Soccer Press /
The Copa Libertadores 2021 has reached the knockout stages, and it will only get more heated from here. Sixteen teams remain in the tournament, South America’s largest for professional clubs.
The Round of 16 matchups are:
● Defensa y Justicia (ARG) vs. Flamengo (BRA)
● Olimpia (PAR) vs. Internacional (BRA)
● Vélez Sarsfield (ARG) vs. Barcelona de Guayaquil (EQU)
● Cerro Porteño (PAR) vs. Fluminense (BRA)
● Boca Juniors (ARG) vs. Atlético-MG (BRA)
● River Plate (ARG) vs. Argentinos Juniors (ARG)
● São Paulo (BRA) vs. Racing (ARG)
● Universidad Católica (CHI) vs. Palmeiras (BRA)
With 12 of the 16 teams in the knockout stages hailing from either Brazil or Argentina, it was expected that the tournament would feature clashes between the eternal South American rivals.
And so, fútbol fans everywhere can now rejoice knowing the tournament will have three clashes between Brazilians and Argentinians.
The Copa Libertadores regulation features only one draw for the knockout stages. In other words, the clubs already know their potential quarterfinals and semifinals opponents.
With that, neutral fans have even more reasons to get excited due to the possibility of an Argentine Superclásico, between Boca Juniors and River Plate, in the quarterfinals.
Similarly, if the Brazilians emerge victorious in their respective games, the tournament also would have a local Brazilians derby in the quarterfinals as crosstown rivals Palmeiras and São Paulo, two clubs that met a few weeks ago to decide the São Paulo State tournament, could soon meet. São Paulo emerged as champions of the state tournament, ending a title drought that lasted almost a decade.
While Palmeiras travel to Chile, São Paulo would first have to get past Racing Club of Argentina, whom it has already faced earlier in this tournament. In their first meeting of the group stage in Argentina, the teams finished the game scoreless And a 1-0 victory for Racing Club at the Morumbi Stadium saw the club take top seed in group E, giving them the advantage of playing the second leg of the Round of 16 at home.
Finalized match dates and times will be announced.
Galvao studies kinesiology at CSU Northridge. He writes about South American futbol for LA Soccer Press.
