The 1968 Copa Libertadores was the ninth edition of the Copa Libertadores, South America's premier association football competition. It was played between January 27 and May 16. A record 21 teams participated in this edition.
| 1968 Copa Libertadores de América 1968 Copa Libertadores da América | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Dates | January 27 - May 16 |
| Teams | 21 (from 10 confederations) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Estudiantes (LP) (1st title) |
| Runners-up |  Palmeiras |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 93 |
| Goals scored | 230 (2.47 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Tupãzinho (11 goals) |
This edition brought the explosive debut of a humble team from the city of La Plata, capital of the Buenos Aires province, that did not find itself in the plateau of Argentine football. Estudiantes de La Plata, an authentic stranger in the highest levels of South American football, surpassed all expectations as they eliminated defending champions Racing and Independiente (two denominated "great" ones in Argentina as well as each having already won the tournament before).
With a talented prospect by the name of Juan Ramón Verón, the pincharatas beat Palmeiras 2–0 in a playoff after the final series finished 2–2 on points. Estudiantes conquered the title with an original style which emphasized athleticism and strategic preparation.
Qualified teams
Tie-breaking criteria
At each stage of the tournament teams receive 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and no points for a loss. If two or more teams are equal on points, the following criteria will be applied to determine the ranking in the group stage:
- a one-game playoff;
- superior goal difference;
- draw of lots.
First round
Twenty teams were drawn into five groups of four. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top two teams in each group advanced to the Second round. Racing, the title holders, had a bye to the Semifinals.
| Key to colors in group tables | |
|---|---|
| Group winners and runners-up advanced to the Second round | |
Group 1
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estudiantes | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 11 |
| Independiente | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 5 |
 Deportivo Cali | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 5 |
| Millonarios | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 3 |
| Independiente | 2 – 4 | Estudiantes |
|---|---|---|
Bernao  Artime | Ribaudo Echecopar Verón |
| Millonarios | 1 – 2 | Independiente |
|---|---|---|
| Ferrero | Bernao Artime |
| Deportivo Cali | 1 – 0 | Independiente |
|---|---|---|
| Iroldo |
| Deportivo Cali | 1 – 2 | Estudiantes |
|---|---|---|
| Manera o.g.' | Bilardo Echecopar |
| Millonarios | 4 – 2 | Deportivo Cali |
|---|---|---|
| Ferrero Aceros Fernández Frattini | Álvarez Desiderio |
| Estudiantes | 3 – 0 | Deportivo Cali |
|---|---|---|
| Ribaudo Verón Echecopar |
| Independiente | 3 – 1 | Millonarios |
|---|---|---|
| Artime | Rodríguez |
| Independiente | 1 – 1 | Deportivo Cali |
|---|---|---|
| Savoy | Iroldo |
| Deportivo Cali | 1 – 0 | Millonarios |
|---|---|---|
| Ferreira |
place playoff
| Independiente | 3 – 2 | Deportivo Cali |
|---|---|---|
| Pastoriza Bernao Artime | Iroldo Sánchez |
Group 2
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Universitario | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 4 | +13 | 9 |
| Sporting Cristal | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 9 |
 Jorge Wilstermann | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | -3 | 5 |
| Always Ready | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 18 | -16 | 1 |
| Always Ready | 0 – 3 | Universitario |
|---|---|---|
| Flores Casaretto |
| Jorge Wilstermann | 0 – 1 | Sporting Cristal |
|---|---|---|
| Castillo |
| Always Ready | 1 – 4 | Sporting Cristal |
|---|---|---|
| Villante | Pajuelo Aquije Castillo |
| Jorge Wilstermann | 3 – 0 | Always Ready |
|---|---|---|
| López Cabrera |
| Universitario | 1 – 1 | Sporting Cristal |
|---|---|---|
| Challe | Aquije |
| Sporting Cristal | 2 – 0 | Jorge Wilstermann |
|---|---|---|
| Risco Castillo |
| Universitario | 5 – 1 | Jorge Wilstermann |
|---|---|---|
| Rojas Flores | López |
| Sporting Cristal | 1 – 1 | Always Ready |
|---|---|---|
| Gallardo | Morales |
| Universitario | 6 – 0 | Always Ready |
|---|---|---|
| Flores Lobatón Rojas Staukas o.g.' |
| Sporting Cristal | 2 – 2 | Universitario |
|---|---|---|
| Aquije Gallardo | Calatayud Challe |
| Always Ready | 0 – 1 [A] | Jorge Wilstermann |
|---|---|---|
| Cabrera |
Group 3
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Universidad Católica | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 7 | +4 | 9 |
 Emelec | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 7 |
| El Nacional | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 5 |
| Universidad de Chile | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 3 |
| Emelec | 0 – 0 | El Nacional |
|---|---|---|
| El Nacional | 2 – 1 | Universidad Católica |
|---|---|---|
| Rodríguez | Sarnari |
| Emelec | 2 – 1 | Universidad de Chile |
|---|---|---|
| Mena Hernández | Gangas |
| Emelec | 1 – 2 | Universidad Católica |
|---|---|---|
| Echeverría | Isella Gallardo |
| El Nacional | 3 – 1 | Universidad de Chile |
|---|---|---|
| Correa Rodríguez Rangel | Marcos |
| Universidad Católica | 1 – 1 | Emelec |
|---|---|---|
| Sarnari | Sosa |
| Universidad de Chile | 1 – 2 | Universidad Católica |
|---|---|---|
| Yávar | Messén |
| El Nacional | 0 – 1 | Emelec |
|---|---|---|
| Mena |
Group 4
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Peñarol | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 8 |
 Guaraní | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 7 |
| Nacional | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 6 |
| Libertad | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 13 | -11 | 3 |
Group 5
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmeiras | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 11 |
 Deportivo Portugués | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 11 | -6 | 5 |
| Náutico | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | -1 | 4 |
| Deportivo Galicia | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 4 |
| Deportivo Galicia | 2 – 0 | Deportivo Portugués |
|---|---|---|
| Ceslo |
| Deportivo Portugués | 1 – 1 | Náutico |
|---|---|---|
| Ramos | Iván |
| Deportivo Galicia | 2 – 1 | Náutico |
|---|---|---|
| Becerra Olavo | Lala |
| Deportivo Galicia | 1 – 2 | Palmeiras |
|---|---|---|
| Chacho | Ademir Díaz o.g.' |
| Deportivo Portugués | 1 – 2 | Palmeiras |
|---|---|---|
| Ramos | Tupãzinho Pantera |
| Náutico | 1 – 0 | Deportivo Galicia |
|---|---|---|
| Nino |
| Deportivo Portugués | 1 – 0 | Deportivo Galicia |
|---|---|---|
| Ratto |
Second round
Ten teams were drawn into three groups, two groups of three and one group of four. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top team in each group advanced to the Semifinals, along with Racing Club.
| Key to colors in group tables | |
|---|---|
| Group winners advanced to the Semifinals | |
Group A
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estudiantes | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 6 |
| Independiente | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 4 |
| Universitario | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 2 |
| Universitario | 1 – 0 | Estudiantes |
|---|---|---|
| Lobatón |
| Independiente | 1 – 2 | Estudiantes |
|---|---|---|
| Pavoni | Ribaudo |
Group B
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peñarol | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | +9 | 10 |
| Sporting Cristal | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 8 |
| Emelec | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 7 | -4 | 3 |
| Deportivo Portugués | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 12 | -9 | 3 |
| Emelec | 0 – 2 | Sporting Cristal |
|---|---|---|
| Mifflin Aquije |
| Deportivo Portugués | 1 – 1 | Sporting Cristal |
|---|---|---|
| Curro | Pajuelo |
| Emelec | 2 – 0 | Deportivo Portugués |
|---|---|---|
| Sosa |
| Sporting Cristal | 0 – 0 | Peñarol |
|---|---|---|
| Sporting Cristal | 1 – 1 | Emelec |
|---|---|---|
| Gallardo | Echeverría |
| Peñarol | 1 – 1 | Sporting Cristal |
|---|---|---|
| Spencer | Risco |
| Deportivo Portugués | 2 – 0 | Emelec |
|---|---|---|
| Ramos |
Group C
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmeiras | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 6 |
| Guaraní | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| Universidad Católica | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 2 |
Semifinals
Four teams were drawn into two groups. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top team in each group advanced to the Finals.
Semifinal 1
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estudiantes | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 3 |
| Racing | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 3 |
| Racing | 2–0 | Estudiantes |
|---|---|---|
| Maschio Fucceneco |
Estudiantes progressed to the finals due to better goal difference.
Semifinal 2
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmeiras | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 |
| Peñarol | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
Finals
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estudiantes | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 2 |
| Palmeiras | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 2 |
| Estudiantes | 2–1 | Palmeiras |
|---|---|---|
| Verón 83' Bocha 87' | Servilio 30' |
| Palmeiras | 3–1 | Estudiantes |
|---|---|---|
| Tupãzinho 10', 68' Rinaldo 54' | Verón 72' |
| Palmeiras | 0–2 | Estudiantes |
|---|---|---|
| Ribaudo 13' Verón 82' |
Champion
| Copa Libertadores de América 1968 Winners |
|---|
 |
| Estudiantes First Title |
Top goalscorers
| Pos | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tupãzinho | Palmeiras | 11 |
| 2 | Alberto Spencer | Peñarol | 10 |
| 3 | Juan Ramón Verón | Estudiantes | 9 |
| 4 | Luis Artime | Independiente | 6 |
| 5 | Felipe Ribaudo | Estudiantes | 6 |
| 6 | Víctor Domingo Juárez | Guaraní | 6 |
| D. Flores | Universitario | 6 | |
| Juan Carlos Sarnari | Universidad Católica | 6 | |
| 9 | Servílio | Palmeiras | 5 |
| Alberto Gallardo | Sporting Cristal | 5 |