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
Champions Peñarol (2nd title)
Runners-up Palmeiras
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored52 (3.25 per match)
Top scorer(s) 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
                                     
       
  Olimpia 5 1  
    Colo-Colo 2 2  
     
       
  Olimpia 1 1  
    Peñarol 3 2  
       
       
  Universitario 0 2
    Peñarol 5 0  
     
       
  Peñarol 1 1
  Palmeiras 0 1
       
       
  Palmeiras 2 1  
    Independiente 0 0  
     
       
  Palmeiras 2 4
    Santa Fe 2 1  
Barcelona 0 2  
Santa Fe 3 2  
  Santa Fe 2 1
    Jorge Wilstermann 3 0  
     

Preliminary round
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Santa Fe211052+33
Barcelona201125−31
2 April 1961 Santa Fe 3 − 0 Barcelona Estadio El Campín, Bogotá
Panzutto  25', 34'
Perazzo  40'		 Attendance: ≈25,000
Referee: Rafael Guerrero Parker (Ecuador)
9 April 1961 Barcelona 2 − 2 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
Olimpia210164+22
Colo-Colo210146−22
April 9, 1961 Colo-Colo 2 – 5 Olimpia Estadio Nacional, Santiago
Hormazabal
Toro 		Cabral
Ferreira
González 		Attendance: 17,780
Referee: Esteban Marino (Uruguay)
April 16, 1961 Olimpia 1 – 2 Colo-Colo Estadio Manuel Ferreira, Asunción
González Hormazabal
Álvarez 		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
Peñarol210152+32
Universitario210125−32
April 19, 1961 Peñarol 5 – 0 Universitario Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
Joya  36', 63'
Spencer  44', 77'
Sasía  85'		 Attendance: 57,630
Referee: Carlos Robles (Chile)
April 30, 1961 Universitario 2 – 0 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
Palmeiras220030+34
Independiente200203−30
May 4, 1961 Independiente 0 – 2 Palmeiras Estadio Juan Domingo Perón, Avellaneda
Gildo
Zequinha 		Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Jose Dimas Larrosa (Paraguay)
May 11, 1961 Palmeiras 1 – 0 Independiente Estádio do Pacaembu, São Paulo
Scotto Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Jose Dimas Larrosa (Paraguay)

Group 4
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Santa Fe21013302
Jorge Wilstermann21013302
April 30, 1961 Jorge Wilstermann 3 – 2 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 1 – 0 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
Palmeiras211063+33
Santa Fe201136−31
May 21, 1961 Santa Fe 2 – 2 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 4 – 1 Santa Fe Estádio do Pacaembu, São Paulo
Romeiro  3' 22'
Barbosa  44'
Gildo 		Mottura  66' Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Ovidio Orrego (Colombia)

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

Finals
Main article: 1961 Copa Libertadores Finals
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Peñarol211021+13
Palmeiras201112−11
June 4, 1961 Peñarol 1 − 0 Palmeiras Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
Spencer  89' Attendance: 64,376
Referee: José Luis Praddaude (Argentina)
June 11, 1961 Palmeiras 1 − 1 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

Peñarol
Second Title

Top goalscorers
Pos Player Team Goals
1 Osvaldo Panzutto Santa Fe 4
2 Alberto Perazzo Santa Fe 3
Benicio Ferreira Olimpia 3
Juan Joya Peñarol 3
Jose Francisco Sasía Peñarol 3
Alberto Spencer Peñarol 3

References
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