The 1968 Copa Libertadores was the ninth edition of the Copa Libertadores, South America's premier association football competition. It was played between January 27 and May 16. A record 21 teams participated in this edition.
| 1968 Copa Libertadores de América 1968 Copa Libertadores da América | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Dates | January 27 - May 16 |
| Teams | 21 (from 10 confederations) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Estudiantes (LP) (1st title) |
| Runners-up |  Palmeiras |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 93 |
| Goals scored | 230 (2.47 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Tupãzinho (11 goals) |
← 1967 1969 → | |
This edition brought the explosive debut of a humble team from the city of La Plata, capital of the Buenos Aires province, that did not find itself in the plateau of Argentine football. Estudiantes de La Plata, an authentic stranger in the highest levels of South American football, surpassed all expectations as they eliminated defending champions Racing and Independiente (two denominated "great" ones in Argentina as well as each having already won the tournament before).
With a talented prospect by the name of Juan Ramón Verón, the pincharatas beat Palmeiras 2–0 in a playoff after the final series finished 2–2 on points. Estudiantes conquered the title with an original style which emphasized athleticism and strategic preparation.
Qualified teams
edit
Draw
editThe champions and runners-up of each football association were drawn into the same group along with another football association's participating teams. Three clubs from Argentina competed as Racing was champion of the 1967 Copa Libertadores. They entered the tournament in the semifinals.
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 | Group 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tie-breaking criteria
editAt each stage of the tournament teams receive 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and no points for a loss. If two or more teams were equal on points, the following criteria was to be applied to determine the ranking in the group stage:
- a one-game playoff;
- superior goal difference;
- draw of lots.
First round
editTwenty teams were drawn into five groups of four. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top two teams in each group advanced to the Second round. Racing, the title holders, had a bye to the semifinals.
| Key to colors in group tables | |
|---|---|
| Group winners and runners-up advanced to the Second round | |
Group 1
edit| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estudiantes
|
6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 11 |
| Independiente
|
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 5 |
 Deportivo Cali
|
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 5 |
| Millonarios
|
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 3 |
| Millonarios | 0 – 1 | Estudiantes |
|---|---|---|
Flores  |
| Deportivo Cali | 1 – 2 | Estudiantes |
|---|---|---|
| Manera o.g.' |
Bilardo Echecopar |
| Estudiantes | 0 – 0 | Millonarios |
|---|---|---|
place playoff
| Independiente | 3 – 2 | Deportivo Cali |
|---|---|---|
| Pastoriza Bernao Artime |
Iroldo Sánchez |
Group 2
edit| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Universitario
|
6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 4 | +13 | 9 |
| Sporting Cristal
|
6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 9 |
 Jorge Wilstermann
|
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | -3 | 5 |
| Always Ready
|
6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 18 | -16 | 1 |
| Universitario | 6 – 0 | Always Ready |
|---|---|---|
| Flores Lobatón Rojas Staukas o.g.' |
Group 3
edit| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Universidad Católica
|
6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 7 | +4 | 9 |
 Emelec
|
6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 7 |
| El Nacional
|
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 5 |
| Universidad de Chile
|
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 3 |
| Emelec | 0 – 0 | El Nacional |
|---|---|---|
| Emelec | 1 – 2 | Universidad Católica |
|---|---|---|
| Echeverría |
Isella Gallardo |
| El Nacional | 0 – 1 | Emelec |
|---|---|---|
| Mena |
Group 4
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |  PEÑ
|
 GUA
|
NAC
|
LIB
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peñarol
|
6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 8 | Qualified to the Second Round | 2–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | ||
| 2 | Guaraní
|
6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 7 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | |||
| 3 | Nacional
|
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 6 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | |||
| 4 | Libertad
|
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 13 | −11 | 3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 |
Group 5
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | PAL
|
 POR
|
NAU
|
GAL
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palmeiras
|
6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 11 | Qualified to the Second Round | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | ||
| 2 | Deportivo Portugués
|
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 11 | −6 | 5 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | |||
| 3 | Náutico
|
6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | −1 | 4 | 1–3 | 3–2[B] | 1–0 | |||
| 4 | Deportivo Galicia
|
6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 4 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Deportivo Galicia | 2 – 1 | Náutico |
|---|---|---|
| Becerra Olavo |
Lala |
| Deportivo Galicia | 1 – 2 | Palmeiras |
|---|---|---|
| Chacho |
Ademir Díaz o.g.' |
| Náutico | 1 – 0 | Deportivo Galicia |
|---|---|---|
| Nino |
Second round
editTen teams were drawn into three groups, two groups of three and one group of four. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top team in each group advanced to the Semifinals, along with Racing.
Group A
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | EST
|
IND
|
UNI
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Estudiantes
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 | Qualified to the Semifinals | 1–0 | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | Independiente
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 4 | 1–2 | 3–0 | |||
| 3 | Universitario
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 2 | 1–0 | 0–3 |
| Universitario | 1 – 0 | Estudiantes |
|---|---|---|
| Lobatón |
Group B
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | PEÑ
|
CRI
|
EME
|
POR
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peñarol
|
6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | +9 | 10 | Qualified to the Semifinals | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | ||
| 2 | Sporting Cristal
|
6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 8 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | |||
| 3 | Emelec
|
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 3 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | |||
| 4 | Deportivo Portugués
|
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 12 | −9 | 3 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| Deportivo Portugués | 1 – 1 | Sporting Cristal |
|---|---|---|
| Curro |
Pajuelo |
| Sporting Cristal | 0 – 0 | Peñarol |
|---|---|---|
Group C
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | PAL
|
GUA
|
CAT
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palmeiras
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 6 | Qualified to the Semifinals | 2–1 | 4–1 | ||
| 2 | Guaraní
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 2–0 | 3–1 | |||
| 3 | Universidad Católica
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | −3 | 2 | 0–1 | 4–1 |
Semifinals
editFour teams were drawn into two groups. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top team in each group advanced to the Finals.
Semifinal 1
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | EST
|
RAC
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Estudiantes
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 3 | Qualified to the Finals | 3–0 | ||
| 2 | Racing
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 3 | 2–0 |
Estudiantes progressed to the finals due to better goal difference.
Semifinal 2
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | PAL
|
PEÑ
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palmeiras
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 | Qualified to the Finals | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | Peñarol
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0 | 1–2 |
Finals
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | EST
|
PAL
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Estudiantes
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 4 | Champions | 2–1 | ||
| 2 | Palmeiras
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 2 | 3–1 |
| Estudiantes | 2–1 | Palmeiras |
|---|---|---|
| Verón 83' Bocha 87' |
Servilio 30' |
| Palmeiras | 3–1 | Estudiantes |
|---|---|---|
| Tupãzinho 10', 68' Rinaldo 54' |
Verón 72' |
| Palmeiras | 0–2 | Estudiantes |
|---|---|---|
| Ribaudo 13' Verón 82' |
Champion
edit| Copa Libertadores de América 1968 Winners |
|---|
|
| Estudiantes First Title |
Top goalscorers
edit| Pos | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tupãzinho
|
Palmeiras
|
11 |
| 2 | Alberto Spencer
|
Peñarol
|
10 |
| 3 | Juan Ramón Verón
|
Estudiantes
|
9 |
| 4 | Luis Artime
|
Independiente
|
6 |
| 5 | Felipe Ribaudo
|
Estudiantes
|
6 |
| 6 | Víctor Domingo Juárez
|
Guaraní
|
6 |
| D. Flores
|
Universitario
|
6 | |
| Juan Carlos Sarnari
|
Universidad Católica
|
6 | |
| 9 | Servílio
|
Palmeiras
|
5 |
| Alberto Gallardo
|
Sporting Cristal
|
5 |
Footnotes
editExternal links
edit