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
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)
← 1960 1962 →

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	6
							Colo-Colo	2	2	4
													Olimpia	1	1	2
													Peñarol	3	2	5
							Universitario	0	2	2
							Peñarol	5	0	5
																			Peñarol	1	1	2
																			Palmeiras	0	1	1
							Palmeiras	2	1	3
							Independiente	0	0	0
													Palmeiras	2	4	6
													Santa Fe	2	1	3
	Barcelona	0	2	2
	Santa Fe	3	2	5
							Santa Fe	2	1	3
							Jorge Wilstermann	3	0	3

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   45' Toro   88'		González   12' Cabral   37', 79' Ferreira   48', 54'	Attendance: 17,780 Referee: Esteban Marino (Uruguay)

Olimpia   v   Colo-Colo

April 16, 1961	Olimpia	1 – 2	Colo-Colo	Estadio Manuel Ferreira, Asunción
	González   1'		Hormazabal   29' Álvarez   67'	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   33' Zequinha   85'	Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Jose Dimas Larrosa (Paraguay)

Palmeiras   v   Independiente

May 11, 1961	Palmeiras	1 – 0	Independiente	Estádio do Pacaembu, São Paulo
	Scotto   40'			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

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
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' Tozzi   44'  57'		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 Libertadores 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

References

External links

• 1961 Copa Libertadores at RSSSF