1968 Copa Libertadores
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 |  |
| Runners-up | .svg.png){kind=small} |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 93 |
| Goals scored | 230 (2.47 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | |
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
| Country | Team | Qualification method |
|---|---|---|
| CONMEBOL 1 berth |
Racing | 1967 Copa Libertadores de América winners |
2 berths |
Independiente | 1967 Primera División champion |
| Estudiantes | 1967 Primera División runner-up | |
 2 berths |
Jorge Wilstermann | 1967 Torneo Nacional champion |
| Always Ready | 1967 Torneo Nacional runner-up | |
 2 berths |
Palmeiras | 1967 Taça Brasil champion |
| Náutico | 1967 Taça Brasil runner-up | |
 2 berths |
Universidad de Chile | 1967 Primera División champion |
| Universidad Católica | 1967 Primera División runner-up | |
 2 berths |
Deportivo Cali | 1967 Campeonato Profesional champion |
| Millonarios | 1967 Campeonato Profesional runner-up | |
 2 berths |
El Nacional | 1967 Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol Serie A champion |
| Emelec | 1967 Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol Serie A runner-up | |
.svg.png){kind=small} 2 berths |
Guaraní | 1967 Primera División champion |
| Libertad | 1967 Primera División runner-up | |
 2 berths |
Universitario | 1967 Campeonato Descentralizado champion |
| Sporting Cristal | 1967 Campeonato Descentralizado runner-up | |
 2 berths |
Peñarol | 1967 Primera División champion |
| Nacional | 1967 Primera División runner-up | |
 2 berths |
Deportivo Portugués | 1967 Primera División Venezolana champion |
| Galicia | 1967 Primera División Venezolana runner-up |
Tie-breaking criteria
At 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 are equal on points, the following criteria will be applied to determine the ranking in the group stage:
- a one-game playoff;
- superior goal difference;
- draw of lots.
First round
Twenty 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
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 11 |
|
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 5 |
|
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 5 |
|
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 3 |
| Independiente | 2 – 4 | |
|---|---|---|
Bernao  Artime |
Ribaudo Echecopar Verón |
| Millonarios | 1 – 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ferrero |
Bernao Artime |
| Millonarios | 0 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Flores |
| Deportivo Cali | 1 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Iroldo |
| Deportivo Cali | 1 – 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Manera |
Bilardo Echecopar |
| Millonarios | 4 – 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ferrero Aceros Fernández Frattini |
Álvarez Desiderio |
| Estudiantes (LP) | 3 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ribaudo Verón Echecopar |
| Independiente | 3 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Artime |
Rodríguez |
| Estudiantes (LP) | 0 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Independiente | 1 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Savoy |
Iroldo |
| Deportivo Cali | 1 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ferreira |
place playoff
| Independiente | 3 – 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pastoriza Bernao Artime |
Iroldo Sánchez |
Group 2
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 4 | +13 | 9 |
|
6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 9 |
|
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | -3 | 5 |
|
6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 18 | -16 | 1 |
| Always Ready | 0 – 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Flores Casaretto |
| Jorge Wilstermann | 0 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Castillo |
| Always Ready | 1 – 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Villante |
Pajuelo Aquije Castillo |
| Jorge Wilstermann | 0 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Jorge Wilstermann | 3 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| López Cabrera |
| Universitario | 1 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Challe |
Aquije |
| Sporting Cristal | 2 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Risco Castillo |
| Sporting Cristal | 1 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gallardo |
Morales |
| Universitario | 6 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Flores Lobatón Rojas Staukas |
| Sporting Cristal | 2 – 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Aquije Gallardo |
Calatayud Challe |
| Always Ready | 0 – 1 [A] | |
|---|---|---|
| Cabrera |
Group 3
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 7 | +4 | 9 |
|
6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 7 |
|
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 5 |
|
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 3 |
| Emelec | 0 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| El Nacional | 1 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Rodríguez |
Sarnari |
| Emelec | 1 – 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Echeverría |
Isella Gallardo |
| Universidad Católica | 3 – 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sarnari Gallardo |
Oleniak Yávar |
| Universidad Católica | 2 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Isella Varas |
| Universidad de Chile | 0 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Universidad Católica | 1 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sarnari |
Sosa |
| Universidad de Chile | 1 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Campos |
| Universidad de Chile | 1 – 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Yávar |
Messén |
| El Nacional | 0 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Mena |
Group 4
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 8 |
|
6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 7 |
|
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 6 |
|
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 13 | -11 | 3 |
| Nacional | 0 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
Second round
Ten 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 Club.
| Key to colors in group tables | |
|---|---|
| Group winners advanced to the Semifinals | |
Group A
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 |
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 4 |
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 2 |
| Universitario | 1 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Lobatón |
| Universitario | 0 – 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pastoriza |
| Independiente | 1 – 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pavoni |
Ribaudo |
| Estudiantes (LP) | 1 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Verón |
| Independiente | 3 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Yazalde Tarabini Artime |
Group B
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | +9 | 10 |
|
6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 8 |
|
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 7 | -4 | 3 |
|
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 12 | -9 | 3 |
| Emelec | 0 – 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Mifflin Aquije |
| Deportivo Portugués | 1 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Curro |
Pajuelo |
| Emelec | 2 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sosa |
| Sporting Cristal | 0 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sporting Cristal | 2 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gallardo |
| Sporting Cristal | 1 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gallardo |
Echeverría |
| Peñarol | 1 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cortés |
| Peñarol | 1 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Spencer |
Risco |
| Deportivo Portugués | 2 – 0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ramos |
Group C
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 6 |
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 2 |
| Universidad Católica | 4 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sarnari Isella |
García |
| Guaraní | 3 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Juárez Sosa García |
Varas |
| Palmeiras | 4 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tupãzinho Pantera Rinaldo |
Varas |
| Universidad Católica | 0 – 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dudú |
Semifinals
Four 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
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 3 |
| Racing | 2–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Maschio Fucceneco |
Estudiantes progressed to the finals due to better goal difference.
.svg.png){kind=small}
Finals
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 2 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 2 |
| Estudiantes (LP) | 2–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Verón Bocha |
Servilio |
| Palmeiras | 3–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tupãzinho Rinaldo |
Verón |
| Palmeiras | 0–2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ribaudo Verón |
Champion
| Copa Libertadores de América 1968 Winners |
|---|
|
| Estudiantes (LP) First Title |
Top goalscorers
| Pos | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
|
11 |
| 2 | |
|
10 |
| 3 | |
|
9 |
| 4 | |
|
6 |
| 5 | |
|
6 |
| 6 | |
|
6 |
|
|
6 | |
|
|
6 | |
| 9 | |
|
5 |
|
|
5 |