Supercopa Libertadores

History

As through the successive editions of this cup were added new champions from the Copa Libertadores, in 1997 the CONMEBOL decided that the last teams of each group would descend to reduce the number of teams to disputed it. That year descended Velez Sarsfield, Racing Club and Boca Juniors (all teams from Argentina) and Gremio (Brazil).

The competition was discontinued to make way for the Copa Mercosur and Copa Merconorte in 1998, which also grew in importance after the final season of the Copa CONMEBOL in 1999. These tournaments were also discontinued in favor of the Copa Sudamericana which allowed the revival of the Recopa Sudamericana.

Prior to its abolition, the Supercopa Libertadores was regarded as the second most prestigious South American club competition out of the three major tournaments, behind the Copa Libertadores and ahead of the Copa CONMEBOL. The winner of the tournament played the winner of the Copa Libertadores in the Recopa Sudamericana. Since the abolition of the Supercopa, the Recopa Sudamericana place previously reserved for the Supercopa winner has been taken by the winner of the Copa Sudamericana.

The last champion of the competition was River Plate, while Cruzeiro and Independiente are the most successful clubs in the cup history, having won the tournament two times each. The cup has been won by eight different clubs and won consecutively by Cruzeiro and Independiente.

Format and rules

The format for the Supercopa Libertadores underwent changes nearly every season. The most common reason behind it was the addition of a new Copa Libertadores winner. The only way to participate in the Supercopa was being a past winner of the Copa Libertadores. Vasco da Gama was later admitted into the competition as winners of the Copa Libertadores' predecessor, the Campeonato Sudamericano de Campeones. The tournament was predominantly a single-elimination tournament with several stages, exception made the last edition in 1997, which consisted of a group stage from where four teams advanced to knock-out semifinals.

Every round of the competition was contested over a two-legged tie. The teams accumulate points as per the results of the match (3 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss). The team with more points after both legs advanced to the next round. Unlike European club competitions, South America did not use extra time to decide a tie that was level on aggregate. Ties in points would be broken first by goal difference, and ultimately by a penalty shootout after the culmination of the second leg.

Records and statistics

Finals

;Keys

• aet: after extra time
• p: defined on penalty shoot-out
• Match decided by a penalty shootout after extra time
• Match playoff after the series ended tied on aggregate
• Defined on penalty shoot-out in the second leg

Performances by club

Top scorers

References

References

1. [https://www.rsssf.org/sacups/sasup.html Supercopa Libertadores (Supercopa João Havelange)] by Karel Stokkermans on the RSSSF
2. [https://www.digitalsport.com.ar/sport78/news/por-primera-vez-en-15-anos-no-hay-equipos-argentinos-en-las-semifinales-de-la-libertadores-o-sudame-825/ POR PRIMERA VEZ EN 15 AÑOS, NO HAY EQUIPOS ARGENTINOS EN LAS SEMIFINALES DE LA LIBERTADORES O SUDAMERICANA] on Digital Sports