The 1997 Supercopa Libertadores was the tenth and final season of the Supercopa Libertadores, a club football tournament for past Copa Libertadores winners.
Vasco da Gama were admitted to the tournament for the first time in recognition of winning the South American Championship of Champions in 1948. Argentinos Juniors did not take part. River Plate won the competition for the first time, defeating São Paulo 2–1 on aggregate in the final.
For its final season, the format of the first round was changed from a two-legged knockout round to four groups of four teams playing each other twice. As 17 teams were scheduled to take part, a preliminary round was played to eliminate one team.
As through the successive editions of this cup were added new champions from the Copa Libertadores, in 1997 the Conmebol decided that the last teams of each group would descend to reduce the number of teams to disputed it. That year descended Velez Sarsfield, Racing Club and Boca Juniors (all teams from Argentina) and Gremio (Brazil). Teams AssociationTeam Entry stageQualification method ArgentinaIndependiente Group stage1964, 1965, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1984 Copa Libertadores championsEstudiantes 1968, 1969, 1970 Copa Libertadores championsRiver Plate 1986, 1996 Copa Libertadores championsBoca Juniors 1977, 1978 Copa Libertadores championsVélez Sarsfield 1994 Copa Libertadores championsRacing 1967 Copa Libertadores champions BrazilGrêmio Group stage1983, 1995 Copa Libertadores championsSão Paulo 1992, 1993 Copa Libertadores championsSantos 1962, 1963 Copa Libertadores championsFlamengo 1981 Copa Libertadores championsCruzeiro 1976 Copa Libertadores championsVasco da Gama Preliminary round1948 Campeonato de Campeones Sudamericano champions ChileColo-Colo Group stage1991 Copa Libertadores champions ColombiaAtlético Nacional Group stage1989 Copa Libertadores champions ParaguayOlimpia Group stage1979, 1990 Copa Libertadores champions UruguayPeñarol Preliminary round1960, 1961, 1966, 1982, 1987 Copa Libertadores championsNacional 1971, 1980, 1988 Copa Libertadores champions ;Notes
Preliminary round The matches were played from 15 June to 13 July.
Group stage The matches were played from 26 August to 30 October.
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Knockout phase In the knockout phase, the four group winners played a single-elimination tournament. Each tie was played on a home-and-away two-legged basis.
Bracket
Semifinals The matches were played on 5 November, 6 November, 26 November and 27 November.
Finals
The matches were played on 5 November, 6 November, 26 November and 27 November.
River Plate won 2–1 on aggregate.
Top goalscorers
Pos Name Club Goals1 Ivo Basay Colo-Colo82 Marcelo Salas River Plate 73 Dodô São Paulo54 Martín Fúriga Estudiantes4 Marcelo Ramos Cruzeiro Sávio Flamengo Martín Vilallonga Racing
See also List of Copa Libertadores winners 1997 Copa Libertadores 1998 Recopa Sudamericana
External links RSSSF