The 2021 Copa Libertadores group stage was played from 20 April to 27 May 2021.[1] A total of 32 teams competed in the group stage to decide the 16 places in the final stages of the 2021 Copa Libertadores.[2]
The draw for the group stage was held on 9 April 2021, 12:00 PYT (UTC−4), at the CONMEBOL Convention Centre in Luque, Paraguay.[3][4]
Teams were seeded by their CONMEBOL Clubs ranking as of 1 February 2021 (shown in parentheses),[5][6] taking into account the following three factors:[7]
Performance in the last 10 years, taking into account Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana results in the period 2011–2020.
Historical coefficient, taking into account Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana results in the period 1960–2010 and 2002–2010 respectively.
Local tournament champion, with bonus points awarded to domestic league champions of the last 10 years.
For the group stage, the 32 teams were drawn into eight groups (Groups A–H) of four containing a team from each of the four pots. Teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same group, excluding the four winners of the third stage, which were seeded in Pot 4 and whose identity was not known at the time of the draw, and could be drawn into the same group with another team from the same association.
In the group stage, each group is played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The teams are ranked according to the following criteria: 1. Points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss); 2. Goal difference; 3. Goals scored; 4. Away goals scored; 5. CONMEBOL ranking (Regulations Article 2.4.2).[2]
The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the round of 16 of the final stages. The third-placed teams of each group entered the round of 16 of the 2021 Copa Sudamericana.
Schedule[]
The schedule of each matchday was as follows (Regulations Article 2.2.2).[1][2][8][9][10][11]
^ abcAlways Ready played their home matches at Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz instead of their regular stadium , El Alto which did not meet CONMEBOL requirements.
^The Internacional v Deportivo Táchira match, originally scheduled for 27 April 2021, 19:15 local time,[13] was re-scheduled to 21:30 local time.[9]
^The Olimpia v Always Ready match, originally scheduled on 29 April 2021, 22:00 local time,[13] was re-scheduled to 28 April 2021, 22:00 local time.[9]
^The Always Ready v Deportivo Táchira match, originally scheduled for 5 May 2021, 22:00 local time, was re-scheduled to 6 May 2021, 18:00 local time.[14]
^Referee from Venezuela, who was originally assigned to the match between The Strongest and Barcelona,[15][16] was replaced by from Venezuela.[17]
^ abThe Santa Fe v River Plate match, originally scheduled for 5 May 2021, 19:00 local time at Estadio Centenario, Armenia[11] was rescheduled to 6 May 2021, 20:00 local time at Estadio General Pablo Rojas, Asunción (Paraguay) due to civil unrest in Colombia.[20]
^ abThe Junior v Fluminense match, originally scheduled for 6 May 2021, 17:00 local time at Estadio Romelio Martínez, Barranquilla[21] was rescheduled to 6 May 2021, 19:00 local time at Estadio Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo, Guayaquil (Ecuador) due to civil unrest in Colombia.[22]
^ abcSporting Cristal played their home matches at Estadio Nacional, Lima instead of their regular stadium Estadio Alberto Gallardo, Lima which did not meet CONMEBOL requirements.
^ abcRentistas played their home matches at Estadio Centenario, Montevideo instead of their regular stadium Estadio Complejo Rentistas, Montevideo which did not meet CONMEBOL requirements.
^The Universidad Católica v Argentinos Juniors match, originally scheduled for 28 April 2021, 22:00 local time,[13] was re-scheduled to 29 April 2021, 18:00 local time.[9]
^ abThe Atlético Nacional v Argentinos Juniors match, originally scheduled for 6 May 2021, 19:00 local time at Estadio Hernán Ramírez Villegas, Pereira[11] was rescheduled to 6 May 2021, 18:00 local time at Estadio Manuel Ferreira, Asunción (Paraguay) due to civil unrest in Colombia.[20]
^The kickoff of the Atlético Nacional v Nacional match, originally scheduled for 21:00 local time, was delayed to 22:00 local time.
^Referee Anderson Daronco from Brazil, who was originally assigned to the Argentinos Juniors v Atlético Nacional match,[25][26] was replaced by from Brazil.[27]
^Referee from Paraguay, who was originally assigned to the Flamengo v Unión La Calera match was replaced by José Argote from Venezuela.[28]
^Referee Víctor Carrillo from Peru, who was originally assigned to the Vélez Sarsfield v LDU Quito match,[16] was replaced by from Uruguay.[29]
^The Atlético Mineiro v América de Cali match, originally scheduled for 27 April 2021, 21:30 local time,[13] was re-scheduled to 19:15 local time.[9]
^The Cerro Porteño v Deportivo La Guaira match, originally scheduled for 28 April 2021, 20:00 local time,[13] was re-scheduled to 18:00 local time.[9]
^The América de Cali v Deportivo La Guaira match, originally scheduled on 19 May 2021, 21:00 local time at Estadio Pascual Guerrero, Cali,[13] was first re-scheduled at Estadio Alfonso López, Bucaramanga[31] and later for 19 May 2021, 22:00 local time at Estadio Ramón Tahuichi Aguilera, Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia) due to civil unrest in Colombia.[32]