Brazil World Cup Stars Cannot Prevent Disastrous Copa Libertadores Campaigns

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: May 20, 2014

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And with the final whistle at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte last Wednesday, it was all over. Cruzeiro, the current Brazilian champions, could only manage a draw with Argentine club San Lorenzo and, having lost away, were sent crashing from South America's premier club competition.

With them went Brazil's hopes of landing a fifth straight title in the continental tournament, the first time in over two decades a Brazilian club will not be in the final four.

Internacional in 2010, Santos in 2011, Corinthians in 2012 and Atletico Mineiro last year. This country has dominated the Libertadores in recent times.



With six entrants in this year's edition; four through the league, last year's winners and the Copa do Brasil holders, optimism was high that another crown could be worn.

Signs of weakness were there from the off, however. Atletico Paranaense, after an excellent Campeonato Brasileiro campaign last year, which saw them eventually finish third, only made it to the group stage at all following a penalty shootout victory over Sporting Cristal of Peru.

Their decision not to renew coach Vagner Mancini's contract at the end of last year was as misguided as it was perplexing. Former Brazil striker Adriano was brought in and released almost as quickly after one goal and a group stage elimination for the Curitiba club.

And the group stage was not kind to Brazil. Two other clubs also fell at the first hurdle.

Rio sides Flamengo and Botafogo failed to make it through to the knock-out rounds for very different reasons.



Flamengo made the error of trying to take on all comers on all fronts. Attempting to win both the Rio de Janeiro state championship and the Copa Libertadores took a serious toll on their threadbare squad.

Botafogo's stutter was harder to fathom. Here was a side who had mounted a serious title challenge for the majority of 2...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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