Starting next week 5 teams from Argentina and Brazil, 2 from Mexico and Colombia and 1 from Ecuador and Uruguay will play for the right to continue in the America’s oldest and most important Club championship, The Copa Libertadores.
There is no doubt that Argentina and Brazil are the class of the region while on the other side of the TV screen will be teams from Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Venezuela, all sadly eliminated in the early stages.
Here are the first leg match ups and my predictions for the final 8 :
It all begins on Tuesday when Lanus hosts Mexico’s Atlas, I think Atlas will go on just because I think so… so there! Later that night LDU Quito will go against Estudiantes de la Plata in the altitude of Quito. I think Liga advances because… they play in the altitude first, duh!
Wednesday will be the day with the most matches as Boca Juniors takes on Cruzeiro. Boca will advance because I like them.) America in the Azteca will meet Rio’s Flamengo. Tough match up but I think despite America’s bad form in the Mexican league they will win in copa. San Lorenzo versus River Plate in an all Argentina match up. River because of tradition more then anything and because I like them too, but less then Boca. In Medellin Atletico Nacional will play Fluminense. Brazilian teams are too strong. Fluminense advances because they are "Like" better, I think. In the Centenario of Montevideo; Nacional will take on Sao Paulo. I think Sao Paulo will take this one. It’s just a guess mortals.
Thursday Santos will match up versus Cucuta Deportivo in the only game of that night. Santos will go on because this is Pele’s team, no other reason.
So there you have it. Nothing scientific, just good old biased reasoning. =)