Copa Libertadores 2018 group stage draw

On Wednesday, the qualifying round and group stage draw for the 2018 Copa Libertadores was held. There will be three playoff rounds which will result in a total of four teams moving into the group stage, with the rest of the group stage participants already known (a departure from previous years in the Libertadores draw, which is a bit of a pity because it was always quite funny before to not really be any the wiser after the draw as to what the group stages would look like). Here’s the draw in full …

First qualifying round (22–26 January)

E1 Montevideo Wanderers (URU) v Olimpia (PAR)
E2 Macará (ECU) v Deportivo Táchira (VEN)
E3 Oriente Petrolero (BOL) v Universitario (PER)

Second qualifying round (31 January–21 February)

C1 E2 winner v Independiente Santa Fe (COL)
C2 Chapecoense (BRA) v Nacional (URU)
C3 E3 winner v Jorge Wilstermann (BOL)
C4 Carabobo (VEN) v Guaraní (PAR)
C5 E1 winner v Atlético Junior (COL)
C6 Universidad de Concepeción (CHI) v Vasco Da Gama (BRA)
C7 Banfield (ARG) v Independiente Del Valle (ECU)
C8 Santiago Wanderers (CHI) v Melgar (PER)

Third qualifying round (14–23 February)

G1 C1 v C8
G2 C2 v C7
G3 C3 v C6
G4 C4 v C5

The two ‘best losers’ of these ties go into the Copa Sudamericana.

Group stage (27 February–24 May)

Group 1
Grêmio (BRA)
Cerro Porteño (PAR)
Defensor Sporting (URU)
Monagas (VEN)
Group 2
Atlético Nacional (COL)
Bolívar (BOL)
Colo-Colo (CHI)
Delfín (ECU)
Group 3
Peñarol (URU)
Libertad (PAR)
The Strongest (BOL)
Atlético Tucumán (ARG)
Group 4
River Plate (ARG)
Emelec (ECU)
Flamengo (BRA)
G1 qualifier
Group 5
Cruzeiro (BRA)
Universidad de Chile (CHI)
Racing Club (ARG)
G3 qualifier
Group 6
Santos (BRA)
Estudiantes de La Plata (ARG)
Real Garcilaso (PER)
G2 qualifier
Group 7
Corinthians (BRA)
Independiente (ARG)
Millonarios (COL)
Deportivo Lara (VEN)
Group 8
Boca Juniors (ARG)
Palmeiras (BRA)
Alianza Lima (PER)
G4 qualifier