The first round of the group stage of the 2024 Copa Libertadores has ended, and it was not the desired start for the Brazilian teams. Despite the favoritism, reflected in the fact that the last five champions came from that country, only one of the seven representatives in the tournament celebrated a victory.
The exception was Atlético Mineiro, which thrashed Caracas FC 4-1 in Venezuela. Now led by the Argentine Gabriel Milito, in the dugout due to a suspension carried over from the previous edition of the Copa, the Galo was far superior to their rival.
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Paulinho, with a brace, was the standout for the team that now leads Group G, with the same points as Rosario Central (Argentina), winner of their match against Peñarol (Uruguay).
The biggest disappointment for Brazil in the debut of the Libertadores was Botafogo’s. In Rio de Janeiro, they fell 3-1 to Junior (Colombia), in a match where they showed huge defensive weaknesses. The match was the last of Fábio Matías’ interim tenure before the arrival of Artur Jorge as the new coach.
Another team that struggled in their first match was São Paulo. They were defeated 2-1 in their visit to Talleres (Argentina) and ended with three injured players: Rafinha, Lucas Moura, and Wellington Rato.
Grêmio also succumbed, although in their case, it can be attributed to the altitude. They lost 2-0 in the always challenging task of playing at The Strongest’s home ground (Bolivia).
Draws among the last champions of the Libertadores
The reigning champion and title defender, Fluminense, achieved a good 1-1 draw in Peru against Alianza Lima. The same spirit and scoreline that Palmeiras harvested in their visit to San Lorenzo (Argentina).
In the case of Flamengo, the 1-1 draw with Millonarios (Colombia) left them with a bittersweet feeling. On one hand, the positive news of not leaving empty-handed on their trip to Bogotá, although on the other hand, they let the victory slip away while being ahead on the scoreboard and with one player more on the field.
