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In its early years, only the national champions of the major nations took part, but the vice-champions were allowed in the 1970s. The competition was later extended to 24, 32, 36, and now 38 teams. The 2005 edition will have the competitors distributed this way:
The lowest-ranked team from each country, plus the second lowest-ranked team from the nation of the previous year's champion, will enter a qualifying round, with the winners joining the other 26 teams in the main draw.
The competition is organized and run annually in a similar manner to the Champions League in EuropeFor the band of the same name, see Europe (band . Europe is a continent forming the westermost part of the Eurasian supercontinent. Europe is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Se. The Copa Libertadores has a preliminary round and a first round where then the teams are divided into groups of four. The top two teams from each group are then drawn in the second round, which consists of a two-legged knockout tie. From that point, the competition proceeds with two-legged knockout ties to quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. Between 1960 and 1979 the previous winners did not enter the competition until the semi-final stage, making it much easier to retain the cup.
Note that unlike European club competitions, the Copa Libertadores has never used extra timeExtra time is an additional period played at the end some games of football (soccer) if the score is tied after the two standard periods (halves) of play. Extra time is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, e. in a knockout tournamen or away goalsThe away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in football matches contested over two legs in which a winner must be determined. In many competitions, such as knockout phases of the Champions League and UEFA Cup, teams meet in two-legged "ties", defined to decide a tie that is level on aggregate. From 1960Events January-February January 1 Independence of Cameroon January 9 Aswan High Dam construction begins in Egypt January 11 Chad declares its independence. January 14 Ralph Chubb, the gay poet and printer, dies at Fair Oak Cottage in Hampshire. January 23 to 19871987 is a common year starting on Thursday. Events January January 1 Nunavut's capital changes it name to Iqaluit from Frobisher Bay. January 3 Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. January 4 An Amtrak train, two-legged ties were decided on points, without taking goal difference into consideration. If both teams were level on points after two legs, a third match would be played at a neutral site. Goal difference would only come into play if the third match was drawn. If the third match did not produce an immediate winner, either by a clear win or by goal difference, a penalty shootoutKicks from the penalty mark (commonly referred to as a penalty shootout are used to decide who will progress to the next stage of a tournament in elimination games of association football (soccer) which are still tied after both ordinary time and extra ti was used to determine a winner. Since 19881988 is a leap year starting on Friday (click on link for calendar). Events January January 2 Georgia celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 9 Connecticut celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 26 Australia celebrates its bicentennial day., ties have been decided on aggregate goals, with an immediate penalty shootout if the tie is level on aggregate after full time of the second leg. Several times, the event would have had a different champion if it followed European rules. For example, the 20042004 is a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 2004 calendar), and has also been designated the: International Year of Rice International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition Elections are to be held in 73 co champions, Colombian club Once Caldas , would have exited the competition in the second round if the away goals rule had been used, and would also have lost the final on away goals.
The first cup was competed for in 1960 and was won by Club Atlético Peñarol of Uruguay. As of 2004, 20 different teams have won the cup. The most successful club has been the Argentinian side Club Atlético Independiente, winners seven times including four in a row from 1972 to 1975.
Brazilians complain that especially in the early years the referees were often biased against the Brazilian teams and the rules were often obscure or unfair. Argentinians answer to this remarking that the Brazilian teams were often uninterested in playing abroad. However, it is remarkable that Argentina and Uruguay are so superior to Brazil in this particular competition, while they are equaled in others.
Over the years the competiton has kept alive a healthy sport rivalry between the competing countries, especially between Brazil and Argentina, Argentina and Uruguay, Uruguay and Brazil, and Bolivia and Chile. Unfortunately episodes of violence are not rare and the pressure for players on the field is tremendous.