The 2021 Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores was the 62nd edition of the CONMEBOL Libertadores (also referred to as the Copa Libertadores), South America's premier club football tournament organized by CONMEBOL.
Starting from this season, teams must be in the top division of their member association to play in South American club competitions, except for teams which are champions of the qualifying tournaments or cups.
On 14 May 2020, CONMEBOL announced the candidate venues for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 club competition finals. On 13 May 2021, CONMEBOL announced that the final would be played at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay on 20 November 2021, but on 27 July 2021 the final was eventually confirmed to have been rescheduled to 27 November 2021.
Defending champions Palmeiras won their third Copa Libertadores title after beating fellow Brazilian club Flamengo by a 2–1 score after extra time in the final match. As winners of the 2021 Copa Libertadores, Palmeiras qualified for the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup, and earned the right to play against the winners of the 2021 Copa Sudamericana in the 2022 Recopa Sudamericana. They also automatically qualified for the 2022 Copa Libertadores group stage.
Teams The following 47 teams from the 10 CONMEBOL member associations qualified for the tournament: Copa Libertadores champions Copa Sudamericana champions Brazil: 7 berths Argentina: 6 berths All other associations: 4 berths each
The entry stage was determined as follows: Group stage: 28 teams Copa Libertadores champions Copa Sudamericana champions Teams which qualified for berths 1–5 from Argentina and Brazil Teams which qualified for berths 1–2 from all other associations Second stage: 13 teams Teams which qualified for berths 6–7 from Brazil Team which qualified for berth 6 from Argentina Teams which qualified for berths 3–4 from Chile and Colombia Teams which qualified for berth 3 from all other associations First stage: 6 teams Teams which qualified for berth 4 from Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela
AssociationTeam Entry stageQualification methodGroup stage2020 Copa Sudamericana championsBoca Juniors 2019–20 Superliga Argentina and 2020 Copa de la Liga Profesional championsRiver Plate 2019–20 Superliga Argentina and 2020 Copa de la Superliga aggregate table best team not yet qualifiedRacing 2019–20 Superliga Argentina and 2020 Copa de la Superliga aggregate table 2nd best team not yet qualifiedArgentinos Juniors 2019–20 Superliga Argentina and 2020 Copa de la Superliga aggregate table 3rd best team not yet qualifiedVélez Sarsfield 2019–20 Superliga Argentina and 2020 Copa de la Superliga aggregate table 4th best team not yet qualifiedSan Lorenzo Second stage2019–20 Superliga Argentina and 2020 Copa de la Superliga aggregate table 5th best team not yet qualifiedAlways Ready Group stage2020 Apertura championsThe Strongest 2020 Apertura runners-upBolívar Second stage2020 Apertura 3rd placeRoyal Pari First stage2020 Apertura 4th placePalmeiras Group stage2020 Copa Libertadores championsFlamengo 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A championsInternacional 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A runners-upAtlético Mineiro 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 3rd placeSão Paulo 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 4th placeFluminense 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 5th placeGrêmio Second stage2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 6th placeSantos 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 8th placeUniversidad Católica Group stage2020 Primera División championsUnión La Calera 2020 Primera División runners-upUniversidad de Chile Second stage2020 Primera División 3rd placeUnión Española 2020 Primera División 4th placeAmérica de Cali Group stage2020 Primera A championsSanta Fe 2020 Primera A runners-upJunior Second stage2020 Primera A aggregate table best team not yet qualifiedAtlético Nacional 2020 Primera A aggregate table 2nd best team not yet qualifiedBarcelona Group stage2020 Serie A championsLDU Quito 2020 Serie A runners-upIndependiente del Valle Second stage2020 Serie A aggregate table best team not yet qualifiedUniversidad Católica First stage2020 Serie A aggregate table 2nd best team not yet qualifiedCerro Porteño Group stage2020 Primera División tournament (Apertura or Clausura) champions with better record in aggregate tableOlimpia 2020 Primera División tournament (Apertura or Clausura) champions with worse record in aggregate tableLibertad Second stage2020 Primera División aggregate table best team not yet qualifiedGuaraní First stage2020 Primera División aggregate table 2nd best team not yet qualifiedSporting Cristal Group stage2020 Liga 1 championsUniversitario 2020 Liga 1 runners-upAyacucho Second stage2020 Liga 1 3rd placeUniversidad César Vallejo First stage2020 Liga 1 aggregate table best team not yet qualifiedNacional Group stage2020 Primera División championsRentistas 2020 Primera División runners-upMontevideo Wanderers Second stage2020 Primera División aggregate table 5th place as of 21 February 2021Liverpool First stage2020 Primera División aggregate table 5th place as of 7 February 2021Deportivo La Guaira Group stage2020 Primera División championsDeportivo Táchira 2020 Primera División runners-upDeportivo Lara Second stage2020 Primera División 3rd placeCaracas First stage2020 Primera División 4th place
Notes
Schedule The schedule of the competition was as follows:
On 4 February 2021, CONMEBOL announced a rescheduling for the qualifying stages.
StageDraw dateFirst legSecond legFirst stage5 February 202123–24 February 2021(originally 16–18 February 2021)2–3 March 2021(originally 23–25 February 2021)Second stage9–11 March 2021(originally 2–4 March 2021)16–18 March 2021(originally 9–11 March 2021)Third stage6–9 April 2021(originally 16–18 March 2021)13–15 April 2021(originally 6–8 April 2021)Group stage9 April 2021Round of 161 June 202113–15 July 202120–22 July and 3 August 2021(originally 20–22 July 2021)Quarter-finals10–12 August 202117–19 August 2021Semi-finals21–22 September 202128–29 September 2021Final27 November 2021 at Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
Draws
Qualifying stages
First stage
Second stage
Third stage
Group stage
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Group E
Group F
Group G
Group H
Final stages
Qualified teams The winners and runners-up of each of the eight groups in the group stage advanced to the round of 16.
Seeding
Bracket
Round of 16
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Statistics Top scorers RankPlayerTeam Total1 Gabriel Barbosa Flamengo 1221 22 1112 Fred Fluminense 12 1 1117 Hulk Atlético Mineiro 221 1 1 4 Miguel Borja Junior 11 1 111 6 Bruno Henrique Flamengo 1 122 Rony Palmeiras 22 2 7 Jarlan Barrera Atlético Nacional 11 1 2 5 Tomás Chancalay Racing 1 1 3 Christian Ortiz Independiente del Valle 21 1 1 Braian Romero Defensa y Justicia River Plate 111 2 Raphael Veiga Palmeiras 1 1 1 1 1
Team of the tournament The CONMEBOL technical study group selected the following 11 players as the team of the tournament. PositionPlayerTeamGoalkeeper Weverton PalmeirasDefenders Byron Castillo Barcelona Gustavo Gómez Palmeiras Guilherme Arana Atlético MineiroMidfielders Raphael Veiga Palmeiras Willian Arão Flamengo Giorgian de Arrascaeta Flamengo Dudu PalmeirasForwards Hulk Atlético Mineiro Gabriel Barbosa Flamengo Roni PalmeirasManager Abel Ferreira Palmeiras
See also 2021 Copa Sudamericana
References
External links CONMEBOL Libertadores 2021, CONMEBOL.com