For three of South America’s ten nations the Copa Libertadores ended at the group stage – with barely a surprise.
Sporting Cristal came close to a place in the last 16 and Alianza Lima were more competitive than for many years. Even so, for the tenth consecutive campaign no side from Peru made it through to the knockout phase, and there is no Venezuelan presence for the seventh successive year. And for the fourth time in five, no team from Chile has made the cut. Both Chile and Colombia have underachieved in recent times, and the final slot in the knockout phase fell between the former’s ColoColo and the latter’s Deportivo Pereira. In front of a big crowd in Santiago, tournament debutants Pereira held on for the draw they needed, and join Atletico Nacional in the last 16, making this the best group phase for Colombia since 2015.
Colo-Colo were not the only former champions to fall in the group stage. The biggest disappointments were Corinthians of Sao Paulo, the largest team from the largest city in the continent. Corinthians have got themselves in such a mess that they were eliminated with a game still to go.
Bu hikaye World Soccer dergisinin August 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye World Soccer dergisinin August 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Going for Gold in Paris- There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
Face to face - Tom Sainfiet- The final goal is to reach the World Cup and write history - The Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer
The well-travelled Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer after taking charge of the Philippines-his 11th international coaching role
Inter cruise to title number 20
Simone Inzaghi's Internazionale shrug off all challengers before sealing the Serie A title in style against their biggest rivals
HAT-TRICK HERO
Ademola Lookman wrote his name into European football's history books with a hat-trick in the Europa League final
GOING UP
The story of Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres' career has been one of upward trajectory - and there's plenty more to come from the Sporting superstar
Palau soldier on alone
The isolated Pacific nation faces a long and lonely battle to improve football on the island
Brazilian clubs eye Copa number six
As the Copa Libertadores group stage concludes, a sixth consecutive Brazilian winner is looking likely
AI Hilal sweep to another Saudi crown
The first edition of the Saudi Pro League's glamorous new era ends with a familiar title winner
Disasters brewing
There is still a long way to go in World Cup qualifying, but dysfunction reigns at Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria after four matchdays in the group stage
Second round of World Cup qualifying underway
Favourites perform largely as expected, yet Cayman Islands dominate the headlines