1961 Copa Libertadores

1961 Copa Libertadores de América

Tournament details
Dates	April 2 - June 11
Teams	9 (from 9 confederations)
Final positions
Champions	Peñarol (2nd title)
Runners-up	Palmeiras
Tournament statistics
Matches played	16
Goals scored	52 (3.25 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Osvaldo Panzutto (4 goals)

The 1961 Copa Libertadores 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

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, scraped 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 Fe	2	1	1	0	5	2	+3	3
Barcelona	2	0	1	1	2	5	−3	1

Santa Fe v Barcelona

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)

Barcelona v Santa Fe

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
Olimpia	2	1	0	1	6	4	+2	2
Colo-Colo	2	1	0	1	4	6	−2	2

Colo-Colo v Olimpia

April 9, 1961	Colo-Colo	2 – 5	Olimpia	Estadio Nacional, Santiago
	Hormazabal Toro		Cabral Ferreira González	Attendance: 17,780 Referee: Esteban Marino (Uruguay)

Olimpia v Colo-Colo

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
Peñarol	2	1	0	1	5	2	+3	2
Universitario	2	1	0	1	2	5	−3	2

Peñarol v Universitario

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)

Universitario v Peñarol

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
Palmeiras	2	2	0	0	3	0	+3	4
Independiente	2	0	0	2	0	3	−3	0

Independiente v Palmeiras

May 4, 1961	Independiente	0 – 2	Palmeiras	Estadio Juan Domingo Perón, Avellaneda
			Gildo Zequinha	Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Jose Dimas Larrosa (Paraguay)

Palmeiras v Independiente

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 Fe	2	1	0	1	3	3	0	2
Jorge Wilstermann	2	1	0	1	3	3	0	2

Jorge Wilstermann v Santa Fe

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)

Santa Fe v Jorge Wilstermann

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

Seven teams were drawn into two groups, one of our and the other of three. 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
Palmeiras	2	1	1	0	6	3	+3	3
Santa Fe	2	0	1	1	3	6	−3	1

Santa Fe v Palmeiras

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)

Palmeiras v Santa Fe

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
Peñarol	2	2	0	0	5	2	+3	4
Olimpia	2	0	0	2	2	5	−3	0

Peñarol v Olimpia

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)

Olimpia v Peñarol

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 de Campeones Finals

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Peñarol	2	1	1	0	2	1	+1	3
Palmeiras	2	0	1	1	1	2	−1	1

Peñarol v Palmeiras

June 4, 1961	Peñarol	1 − 0	Palmeiras	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
	Spencer  89'			Attendance: 64,376 Referee: José Luis Praddaude (Argentina)

Palmeiras v Peñarol

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

External links

• 1961 Copa Libertadores at RSSSF