Thanks to the team from SouthAmericanFootball.co.uk ( Anthony Wright, Nicholas Rosano, Brian Maxwell, James Walker-Roberts and FOX Soccer's own Rupert Fryer) we know which of the tournament's 32 remaining clubs can be expected to be around after the group stage of the 2012 Copa Libertadores. The competition starts in earnest on Tuesday. Here are their Group 7 and 8 snapshots:
| Snapshots | Groups 1-2 | Groups 3-4 | Groups 5-6 | Groups 7-8 |
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Thanks to the less-than-convincing form of Group 7's two big names, this may be the weakest group in the competition. While that would normally represent an open door for an upstart, it would be unwise to write off Velez or Chivas.
Velez Sarsfield
Country: Argentina Best Finish(es): Winners in 1994 Key Player: Juan Manuel Martinez Expectations: Make a deep run in the tournament FOX Soccer prediction: Group winner
Via SouthAmericanFootball.co.uk:
Velez go into the Copa Libertadores off a disappointing
Apertura campaign which was not helped by the departures of Maxi
Moralez, Ricky Alvarez and Santiago Silva. The club have brought in
Federico Insua and Mauro Obolo in the close season to bolster their
squad for the tournament. Coach Ricardo Gareca says not only are
the club “ready to fight on all fronts” but that they
“must win something” this year.
Guadalajara
Country: Mexico Best Finish(es): Runners-up 2010 Key Player: Patricio Araujo Expectations: Make it out of group FOX Soccer prediction: Second place
Via SouthAmericanFootball.co.uk: All is
not well with Chivas, who have undergone a number of managerial
changes recently, sacking Jose Luis Real in October to bring in
Fernando Quirarte, who was then replaced by Ignacio Ambriz. Ambriz
must now get his house in order and improve the struggling
Guadalajara side, particularly in front of goal where young Erick
Torres is currently shouldering most of the burden. Meanwhile,
defensive midfielder Patricio Araujo must rediscover his form that
made him one of the league’s best players at the start of
last year’s Apertura.
Deportivo Quito
Country: Ecuador Best Finish(es): Second round in 1989 Key Player: Fidel Martinez Expectations: Try to sneak past Chivas FOX Soccer prediction: Third place
Via SouthAmericanFootball.co.uk: The careful
management of Argentine coach Carlos Ischia has been vital, as he
realized the club lacked the strength to compete for both the Copa
Sudamericana and the league title. Deportivo’s first-round
exit in the Sudamericana clearly paid dividends in the long run,
and the team can now focus on another Libertadores campaign.
Defensor Sporting
Country: Uruguay Best Finish(es): Quarterfinalists in 2007 and 2009 Key Player: Johnnier Montano Expectations: Compete for a knockout round spot FOX Soccer prediction: Fourth place
Via SouthAmericanFootball.co.uk:
Defensor will be without the services of Brahian Aleman after
the 22-year-old left for Godoy Cruz following a series of
impressive displays with la Viola. Coach Gustavo Díaz will be
charged with using the club’s youth players to a greater
degree than his predecessor as they search for the next
Sebastián Abreu or Martín Cáceres. That player could
come in the form of talented defender Ramón Arias.
| Snapshots | Groups 1-2 | Groups 3-4 | Groups 5-6 | Groups 7-8 |
|---|
One of the continent's newest powers is a group with one of its traditional titans in Group 8, another group that has two clear favorites for knockout round soccer.
Universidad de Chile
Country: Chile Best Finish(es): Semifinals in 1970, 1996, 2010 Key Player: Francisco Castro Expectations: Compete for the title FOX Soccer prediction: Group winner
Via SouthAmericanFootball.co.uk: La U
conquered all before them in 2011, lifting both domestic
championships and the club’s first ever continental crown
when it saw off LDU de Quito to grab the Copa Sudamericana. Coach
Jorge Sampaoli will see no reason why his side can’t write
more history by becoming only the second Chilean club to lift South
America’s premier club competition, despite the loss of their
standout star Eduardo Vargas.
Penarol
Country: Uruguay Best Finish(es): Winners in 1960, 1961, 1966, 1982, 1987 Key Player: Marcelo Zalayeta Expectations: Get out of group, do some damage in the next round FOX Soccer prediction: Second place
Via SouthAmericanFootball.co.uk: Last
year’s beaten finalists, Penarol has had a change in the
dugout, with coach Gregorio Perez succeeding Diego Aguirre. Former
Juventus striker Marcelo Zalayeta, who finished as the
Apertura’s top scorer last season, has returned to help out.
While they won’t be among the favorites, write them off at
your peril. Any Penarol fan will tell you that the Copa
Libertadores is their obsession.
Godoy Cruz
Country: Argentina Best Finish(es): Group stage in 2011 Key Player: Ruben Ramirez Expectations: Be competitive FOX Soccer prediction: Third place
Via SouthAmericanFootball.co.uk: The
objective for new coach Nery Pumpido will simply be to improve on
the club’s first-round exit last season, when the side from
Mendoza made their Copa Libertadores debut. Pumpido says he will
need two teams to compete both in the league and the Libertadores,
so something will have to give. Having failed to make it out of the
group stage in their inaugural Copa last season, qualification for
the second round will be the winemakers’ aim.
Atletico Nacional
Country: Colombia Best Finish(es): Winners in 1989 Key Player: Darlon Pabon Expectations: None, really FOX Soccer prediction: Fourth place
Via SouthAmericanFootball.co.uk:
Nacional became the first Colombian club to lift the Copa
Libertadores nearly a quarter of a century ago, and they return to
the competition for the first time since 2008 after grabbing
Colombia’s Apertura league title. Carlos Rentería
finished as the league’s top goalscorer, and his ability to
take that form into the Libertadores will be vital, but Colombia
international Dorlan Pabon will likely be the most important to
Nacional’s hopes of bettering their second-round exit last
time out.
For more on this year's Copa Libertadores as well as the rest of South American soccer, please visit SouthAmericanFootball.co.uk.
| Snapshots | Groups 1-2 | Groups 3-4 | Groups 5-6 | Groups 7-8 |
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