The Copa Bridgestone Libertadores 2013 draw was held this December 21, 2012 to accommodate the 38 teams of the tournament into the first stage and the final 8 groups. The tournament which will begin late January, includes teams from eleven countries and will be played in its 54th edition.
The three Liga MX teams who will compete (Xolos Tijuana, Toluca, and Leon) have a difficult task in front of them. Leon as the number 3 Mexican seed will play in the first stage against Deportes Iquique who led the Chilean league in aggregate points. The winner of this home-and-away knock out round will be in Group 4 (Velez, Peñarol, Emelec).
Toluca is part of Group 1, also catalogued as the ‘group of death’. They will have a serious competition against Ecuador’s reigning champs Barcelona, as well as historic Nacional of Uruguay, and South America’s most popular side, Boca Juniors. Finally, Mexico’s championship team, Xolos of Tijuana is in Group 5 and will face San Jose from Bolivia, Millonarios who won the Colombian league, and Corinthians who are the reigning champs of the Copa Libertadores 2012 and who just defeated Chelsea to obtain the FIFA Club World Cup 2012 title.
First Stage:
Winner 1: Tigre (ARG) vs Anzoategui (VEN)
Winner 2: Gremio (BRA) vs LDU Quito (ECU)
Winner 3: Deportes Tolima (COL) vs Cesar Vallejo (PER)
Winner 4: Olimpia (PAR) vs Defensor Sporting (URU)
Winner 5: Sao Paulo (BRA) vs Bolivar (BOL)
Winner 6: Deportes Iquique (CHI) vs Leon (MEX)
Second Stage:
GROUP 1: Barcelona (ECU), Nacional (URU), Boca Juniors (ARG), Toluca (MEX)
GROUP 2: Sporting Cristal (PER), Libertad (PAR), Palmeiras (BRA), WINNER 1
GROUP 3: Arsenal (ARG), The Strongest (BOL), Atletico Mineiro (BRA), WINNER 5
GROUP 4: Velez Sarsfield (ARG), Peñarol (URU), Emelec (ECU), WINNER 6
GROUP 5: Corinthians (BRA), San Jose (BOL), Millonarios (COL), Xolos Tijuana (MEX)
GROUP 6: Santa Fe (COL), Cerro Porteño (PAR), Real Garcilazo (PER), WINNER 3
GROUP 7: Deportivo Lara (VEN), Universidad de Chile (CHI), Newell’s Old Boys (ARG), WINNER 4
GROUP 8: Fluminense (BRA), Huachipato (Chile), Deportivo Caracas (VEN), WINNER 2
