1961 Copa Libertadores

The 1961 Copa de Campeones de América was the second season of the competition, South America's prized football tournament. Nine teams entered, two more than the previous season, with Venezuela not sending a representative. In order to further enhance the competition, CONMEBOL maintained the criteria of having regional clashes in order to take advantage of the cross-border rivalries

1961 Copa de Campeones de América
Tournament details
DatesApril 2 - June 11
Teams9 (from 9 confederations)
Final positions
ChampionsUruguay Peñarol (2nd title)
Runners-upBrazil Palmeiras
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored52 (3.25 per match)
Top scorer(s)Argentina Osvaldo Panzutto
(4 goals)

Although Peñarol also won their national league, this became the first and, so far, only time the defending champions did not qualify automatically to the next edition. Nevertheless, the Manyas successfully defended their title by defeating Palmeiras in the final.

Qualified teams

Country Team Qualification method
 Argentina
1 berth
Independiente 1960 Primera División champion
 Bolivia
1 berth
Jorge Wilstermann 1960 Copa Simón Bolívar champion
 Brazil
1 berth
Palmeiras 1960 Taça Brasil champion
 Chile
1 berth
Colo-Colo 1960 Primera División champion
 Colombia
1 berth
Santa Fe 1960 Campeonato Profesional champion
 Ecuador
1 berth
Barcelona 1960 Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol champion
 Paraguay
1 berth
Olimpia 1960 Primera División champion
 Peru
1 berth
Universitario 1960 Primera División champion
 Uruguay
1 berth
Peñarol 1960 Primera División champion

Format

Each match-up was a two-team group stage. Because of the increase in participants, a preliminary group was implemented in the competition, with the rest following the previous season's format. Wins were awarded two points, 1 point for a draw, and no points for a loss. The team with the most points after a home and away game advanced to the next stage.

If the teams still remained tied, goal difference will become a factor. A one-game playoff would be implemented in case the teams are still tied. A draw of lots was to become the last solution to breaking a tie. Controversially, Independiente Santa Fe and Jorge Wilstermann tied on points which would have required a playoff; CONMEBOL, however, scrapped the idea and decided that the last semifinal slot was to be given by a draw of lots which the Colombians won.

Tournament bracket

Preliminary round First round Semi-finals Finals
                
Paraguay Olimpia 5 1 6
Chile Colo-Colo 2 2 4
Paraguay Olimpia 1 1 2
Uruguay Peñarol 3 2 5
Peru Universitario 0 2 2
Uruguay Peñarol 5 0 5
Uruguay Peñarol 1 1 2
Brazil Palmeiras 0 1 1
Brazil Palmeiras 2 1 3
Argentina Independiente 0 0 0
Brazil Palmeiras 2 4 6
Colombia Santa Fe 2 1 3
Ecuador Barcelona 0 2 2
Colombia Santa Fe 3 2 5
Colombia Santa Fe 2 1 3
Bolivia Jorge Wilstermann 3 0 3

Preliminary round

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Colombia Santa Fe211052+33
Ecuador Barcelona201125−31
2 April 1961 Santa Fe Colombia 3 − 0 Ecuador Barcelona Estadio El Campín, Bogotá
Panzutto 25', 34'
Perazzo 40'
Attendance: ≈25,000
Referee: Rafael Guerrero Parker (Ecuador)
9 April 1961 Barcelona Ecuador 2 − 2 Colombia Santa Fe Estadio Modelo, Guayaquil
Romero 46', 58' Perazzo 10'
Panzutto 50'
Attendance: ≈15,000
Referee: Ovidio Orrego (Colombia)

First round

Group 1

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Paraguay Olimpia210164+22
Chile Colo-Colo210146−22
April 9, 1961 Colo-Colo Chile 2 5 Paraguay Olimpia Estadio Nacional, Santiago
Hormazabal 45'
Toro 88'
González 12'
Cabral 37', 79'
Ferreira 48', 54'
Attendance: 17,780
Referee: Esteban Marino (Uruguay)
April 16, 1961 Olimpia Paraguay 1 2 Chile Colo-Colo Estadio Manuel Ferreira, Asunción
González 1' Hormazabal 29'
Álvarez 67'
Attendance: ≈35,000
Referee: Pablo Victor Vaga (Uruguay)

Olimpia drew 2–2 with Colo-Colo on point aggregate. Olimpia progressed to the semifinals due to better goal difference.

Group 2

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Uruguay Peñarol210152+32
Peru Universitario210125−32
April 19, 1961 Peñarol Uruguay 5 0 Peru Universitario Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
Joya 36', 63'
Spencer 44', 77'
Sasía 85'
Attendance: 57,630
Referee: Carlos Robles (Chile)
April 30, 1961 Universitario Peru 2 0 Uruguay Peñarol Estadio Nacional, Lima
Uribe 30'
Iwasaki 37'
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Carlos Robles (Chile)

Peñarol drew 2–2 with Universitario on point aggregate. Peñarol progressed to the semifinals due to better goal difference.

Group 3

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Brazil Palmeiras220030+34
Argentina Independiente200203−30
May 4, 1961 Independiente Argentina 0 2 Brazil Palmeiras Estadio Juan Domingo Perón, Avellaneda
Gildo 33'
Zequinha 85'
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Jose Dimas Larrosa (Paraguay)
May 11, 1961 Palmeiras Brazil 1 0 Argentina Independiente Estádio do Pacaembu, São Paulo
Scotto 40' Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Jose Dimas Larrosa (Paraguay)

Group 4

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Colombia Santa Fe21013302
Bolivia Jorge Wilstermann21013302
April 30, 1961 Jorge Wilstermann Bolivia 3 2 Colombia Santa Fe Estadio Félix Capriles, Cochabamba
López 8', 76'
Sanchez 17'
Panzutto 13'
Castro 86'
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Carlos Robles (Chile)
May 7, 1961 Santa Fe Colombia 1 0 Bolivia Jorge Wilstermann Estadio El Campín, Bogotá
Claure 26' (o.g.) Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Luis Ventre (Argentina)

Independiente Santa Fe drew 2–2 with Jorge Wilstermann on point aggregate and goal difference. No playoff was disputed to determine the winner. Independiente Santa Fe progressed to the semifinals after a draw of lots.

Semifinals

Four teams were drawn into two groups of two teams each. In each group, teams played against each other home and away. The top team in each group advanced to the Finals.

Group A

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Brazil Palmeiras211063+33
Colombia Santa Fe201136−31
May 21, 1961 Santa Fe Colombia 2 2 Brazil Palmeiras Estadio El Campín, Bogotá
Perazzo 8'
Castro 52'
Gildo 7'
Chinesinho 39'
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: João Etzel Filho (Brazil)
May 28, 1961 Palmeiras Brazil 4 1 Colombia Santa Fe Estádio do Pacaembu, São Paulo
Romeiro 3' 22'
Tozzi 44' 57'
Mottura 66' Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Ovidio Orrego (Colombia)

Group B

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Uruguay Peñarol220052+34
Paraguay Olimpia200225−30
May 21, 1961 Peñarol Uruguay 3 1 Paraguay Olimpia Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
Joya 20'
Cubilla 73'
Cano 87'
González 50' Attendance: 42,000
Referee: Carlos Nai Foino (Argentina)
May 27, 1961 Olimpia Paraguay 1 2 Uruguay Peñarol Estadio Manuel Ferreira, Asunción
Doldán 10' Sasía 77' (pen.)
Cubilla 80'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: José Luis Praddaude (Argentina)

Finals

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Uruguay Peñarol211021+13
Brazil Palmeiras201112−11
June 4, 1961 Peñarol Uruguay 1 − 0 Brazil Palmeiras Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
Spencer 89' Attendance: 64,376
Referee: José Luis Praddaude (Argentina)
June 11, 1961 Palmeiras Brazil 1 − 1 Uruguay Peñarol Estádio do Pacaembu, São Paulo
Nardo 77' Sacia 2' Attendance: 50,000
Referee: José Luis Praddaude (Argentina)

Champion

Copa Libertadores de América
1961 Winner
Uruguay
Peñarol
Second Title

Top goalscorers

Pos Player Team Goals
1 Argentina Osvaldo Panzutto Colombia Santa Fe 4
2 Argentina Alberto Perazzo Colombia Santa Fe 3
Paraguay Benicio Ferreira Paraguay Olimpia 3
Peru Juan Joya Uruguay Peñarol 3
Colombia Jose Francisco Sasía Uruguay Peñarol 3
Ecuador Alberto Spencer Uruguay Peñarol 3

References

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