Qualifying method of Copa Libertadores in Argentina

In the Primera División Argentina, several qualifying methods were once adopted in the history in order to determine the Argentine clubs representatives to participate in the Copa Libertadores, the most prestigious South American international football tournament for clubs.

Current Method

The places of Copa Libertadores are allocated to the champions of Apertura and Clausura of the previous season, as well as the three best teams which have gained the highest number of points considering the combined table of Apertura and Clausura besides the two champions. For example, Copa Libertadores 2008 was represented by Apertura 2006 champion Estudiantes, Clausura 2007 champion San Lorenzo, and the three best placed teams in the combined table of Apertura 2006 and Clausura 2007. Though Apertura 2007 was held much closer to Copa Libertadores 2008, the champion of Apertura 2007 cannot get the place because Apertura 2007 was considered to be the same season of Copa Libertadores 2008. So, champions of the Apertura have to wait for more than a year to play in the Copa Libertadores.

Moreover, since the inauguration session, the Copa Libertadores champion has qualified automatically to the following session's tournament, like Boca Juniors in 2007. However, unlike the European practice, the nation receives an extra place in the tournament to accommodate the holder. So there were six Argentine teams playing in Copa Libertadores 2008 instead of five.

Future changes

For Copa Libertadores 2009, the qualification criteria are changed. The champions of previous season's Apertura and Clausura, and the Apertura of the same season are also eligible to play in Copa Libertadores. The remaining two places are filled by the best two teams in the combined table of these three tournaments. For example, Copa Libertadores 2009 would be represented by the Apertura 2007 champion, Clausura 2008 champion and also Apertura 2008 champion. The remaining places are allocated to the two teams having the highest points in the combined talbe of these three tournaments. The Argentine Football Association has not announced the qualification arrangement beyond 2009. However, it is believed that teams will qualify to the tournament according to the results of Clausura and Apertura of the year before. For example, thoes five teams having the most points in the combined table of Clausura 2009 and Apertura 2009 would qualify to Copa Libertadores 2010.

Past qualifying methods

The Copa Libertadores inaugurated in 1960. Since that year, the league format in Argentina has gone through several changes, and thus the method to qualify to Copa Libertadores has altered several times accordingly. Moreover, the increase of number of teams in Copa Libertadores also triggered some changes.

1960-1966: Teams topping the league

From 1960 to 1966, the Primera División was played using a double round-robin system. In these years, the teams having the highest points would be crowned the champion and gained the eligibility to play in the Copa Libertadores in the following yearhttp://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arghist-pro1960s.html] .

In 1965 and 1966, thanks to the increase of the number of representative in Argentina, the runner-up of the Primera División could also participate in next year’s Copa Libertadores.

1967: Champion of Metropolitano and Nacional

In 1967, the league format in Argentine football was undergoing a reform. The round-robin tournament was replaced by two championships each year, namely, the Metropolitano and the Nacional. In this year, the winner of the Metropolitano and Nacional, Independiente and Estudiantes LP respectively, qualified to play in the Copa Libertadores 1968 [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arg67.html Argentina 1967 ] ] .

1968-1970: Champion and runner-up of Nacional

In 1968, the qualifying criteria were changed. Winning the Metropolitano did not gain eligibility in the Copa Libertadores. Instead, from 1968 to 1970, the champion and runner-up in the Nacional would be eligible to take part in the Copa Libertadores of the next year.

1971: Winner of Nacional and Pre-Libertadores tournament

In 1971, the winner of the Nacional qualified to the Copa Libertadores directly. The winner of the Metropolitano regained the chance of qualification, as the Metropolitano champion would play against the runner-up of the Nacional in a Pre Libertadores Tournament to determine the allocation of the second spot in Copa Libertadores. The Metropolitano champion Independiente won San Loranzo 1-0 in the tournament [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arg71.html Argentina 1971 ] ] .

1972: Champion and runner-up of Nacional

In 1972, the qualifying method was changed back to the system of 1968-70. The winner and runner-up of the Nacional, San Loranzo and River Plate respectively, represented Argentina to play in the Copa Libertadores 1973 [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arg72.html Argentina 1972 ] ] .

1973: Champion of Metropolitano and Nacional

In 1973, the champion of the Metropolitano and Nacional qualified to Copa Libertadores 1974 directly. Huracán and Rosario Central qualified by winner each tournament respectively [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arg73.html Argentina 1973 ] ] .

1974: Pre-Libertadores tournament

In 1974, a Pre Libertadores Tournament was held to determine the qualifying teams. The tournament was contested by Rosario Central, as the runner-up of both Metropolitano and Nacional, Newell's Old Boys, as the champion of Metropolitano and San Lorenzo de Almagro, as the champion of Nacional [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arg74.html Argentina 1974 ] ] .

The tournament was held in a single round-robin format. Rosario Central and Newell's Old Boys, the first two teams in the table, qualified to Copa Libertadores 1975.

1975-1984: Champion of Metropolitano and Nacional

Starting from 1975, the qualifying method of 1967 was re-adopted. The winner of the Metropolitano and Nacional would automatically qualify to participate the Copa Libertadores in the following year [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arghist-pro1970s.html] http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arghist-pro1980s.html] .

When the same team had won both tournaments, a Pre Libertadores Tournament played by the runners-up of each tournament was held to determine the qualification. This scenario happened three times, namely in 1975 [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arg75.html Argentina 1975 ] ] , 1976 [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arg76.html Argentina 1976 ] ] and 1979 [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arg79.html Argentina 1979 ] ] . In 1975 and 1976, a single-legged match was played, while in 1979, the tournament was contested in two legs.

1985-1986: Champion of Nacional and the new tournament

In 1985, only the Nacional was held. The Metropolitano was not held, paving the way for the new European style seasons. The champion of Nacional 1985 and the new tournament 1985/86 would qualify to the Copa Libertadores 1986.

Estudiantes LP won the Nacional 1985, so it gained the eligibility. However, it also won the Copa Libertadores 1985, and thus qualify to next season’s tournament automatically. Therefore, the runner-up of the Nacional, Vélez Sarsfield, played a Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament with the second to eighth team in the new double round-robin tournament, to compete for the qualification [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arg86.html Argentina 1985/86 ] ] .

1986-1990: Winner of Primera División and Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament

From 1986 to 1990, the champion of the Primera División earned the eligibility directly. Moreover, a Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament was held every year to determine the second qualifying team.

Eight teams were participating in this tournaments every year, and it was competed under a two-legged knock-out format. The winner of this tournament would qualify to the Copa Lobertadores. Nonetheless, teams participating in this tournament were not only drawn from the Primera División. A few teams from the Nacional B, which number varied each year, also took part in the competition though they had never won any one session of the tournament.

*In 1986/87, the second to sixth team of the Primera División competed the tournament with the first three placed teams in the Nacional B.

*In 1987/88, the second to eighth team joined the competition alongside the champion of Nacional B. The winner of the Liguilla Clasificación tournament this season, which was competed by the teams had not qualified to the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament except the two relegating teams, also qualified to the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament of the following year.

*In 1988/89, this season qualified teams to Copa Libertadores 1989 as well as Copa Libertadores 1990. The first half of the season was regarded as an tournament in itself, named "Apertura tournament". The top two teams after the first half of season that had taken place qualified to Copa Libertadores 1989 [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arg89.html Argentina 1988/89 ] ] .

*After the entire season of 1988/89, as the previous seasons, the champion of the league qualified directly and a Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament was held to decide the second qualifying team to Copa Libertadores 1990. The only difference was that the qualifying teams participate Copa Libertadores of the next season instead of the same one. The second to seventh team from the whole season tournament, as well as Platense, the champion of the Liguilla Clasificación tournament of previous season, competed the tournament with the Nacional B champion. This was a double-elimination tournament and the best placed team in this season's Liguilla Clasificación tournament, which was the losers bracket of the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament, got the opportunity to participate the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament in the following season.

*In 1989/90, the normal method was reused. The champion of the Primera División gained the qualification and a Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament was contested. The number of teams in the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament was reduced to four, with all of them coming from the Primera División to compete. The second to forth teams in the Primera División entered this tournament, as well as Deportivo Español, the best placed team in last season's Liguilla Clasificación tournament [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arg90.html Argentina 1989/90 ] ] .

1990-1992: Qualifying tournament and match between Apertura and Clausura champion

In the 1990/91 season, the format of Argentine football changed again. Since this season, instead of playing only one double round-robin tournament, two competitions have been held each year, namely, the Apertura and the Clausura. In season 1990/91, a Final was played between the champions of these tournaments, to determine the ultimate winner of the season. The ultimate winner would also be eligible for the Copa Libertadores, while the loser needed to play in the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament to compete for qualification. In this season, the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament also featured the second to forth teams in the Apertura and the second to fifth teams in the Clausura.

This practice was very controversial, especially since one of the biggest teams Boca Juniors lost the finals against Newell's Old Boys, costing them their first official championship since 1981 despite an unbeaten run in the Clausura.

As a result, in the following season, the winner of the Apertura and Clausura needed not to compete in a Final but both of them were also crowned the champions. However, a three-legged Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament between the winners was contested, and the winner of the tournament would qualify to Copa Libertadores.

The second to fifth teams in the both the Apertura and Clausura entered an Octagonal tournament, which was a one-legged knock-out tournament. As the second to fifth team in the Apertura finished second, forth, fifth and eighth in the Clausura, the sixth, seventh and ninth team in the Clausura also got the eligibility to play in the Octagonal tournament. The winner of the tournament, Vélez Sarsfield played against the loser of the Liguilla Pre-Libertadores tournament, Newell's Old Boys, to compete for the second spot of Copa Libertadores. Newell’s Old Boys won the match 1-0 [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arg92.html Argentina 1991/92 ] ] .

1992-1999: Champion of Apertura and Clausura

Since 1992, the champion of Apertura and Clausura got the eligibility for Copa Libertadores directly. When the same team had won both tournament, as the case in 1995/96, 1996/97 and 1998/99, the runner-up of each tournament played a one-legged Pre Libertadores Tournament to decide the qualification [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arghist-pro1990s.html] .

ince 1999: Champion of Apertura and Clausura, and the best teams in the aggregate table

The number of seats for Argentine clubs increased to four in 1999/2000 and the current method was adopted in this season. The champion of Apertura and Clausura and the two highest placed teams in the aggregate table qualified directly. The number of representatives increased to five in the 2003/04 season and the third team in the aggregate table also qualifies. When the same team wins both tournament, as in 2005/06, the forth team in the aggregate table also gets the eligibility [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesa/arghist-pro2000s.html Final Tables Argentina 2001-2010 ] ] .

ee also

*Copa Libertadores
*Primera División Argentina
*Argentine football league system
*Apertura and Clausura in Argentine football
*Metropolitano championship
*Nacional championship
*Copa Sudamericana

Reference