Newsletter

Jorge Barraza thinks about the supremacy of Argentina and Brazil in Copa Libertadores – International Football – Sports


“The Copa Libertadores has become boring, because it is repetitive. And not very attractive because the level of competition collapsed a long time ago, ”says Ricardo Vasconcellos, sports editor of El Universo, from Guayaquil.

He continues: “In the first aspect it suffers something similar to that of Formula One, where from 2010 to 2020, in eleven editions, two drivers have won ten titles: six Hamilton and four Vettel. They always win the same. Not even if they ran at 500 kilometers per hour, it generates the excitement of F1 before ”. True.

(You may be interested in: Bad luck haunts Falcao: he is injured again)

Ricardo Montoya, an excellent Peruvian journalist, also believes that something must be done: “There is a real problem in the Cup, a monopolization of the Argentine and Brazilian teams from a higher hierarchy. With what is now we are condemned that in the next thirty years only they will win. I think that we would have to go back and start assigning coefficients that determine yield quotas, although Brazilians and Argentines would win the same ”.

Another truth. The correct word is monopoly. What we criticize about Italy, France and Germany, where Juventus, PSG and Bayern Munich always crown, happens in our historic Libertadores. That detracts from the excitement of the competition. Titles always fall into the same hands. Do you have to make changes …? Remove quotas to Argentina and Brazil …? Say no to Mexicans, who want to return …? Go back to two teams per country? Add competitors …?

(You may be interested in: Great game: this is how the first classic of 2021 between Boca and River came out)

When the current edition has finished, in 61 years, between Argentines and Brazilians they will have won 45 titles and 29 subtitles. An insulting supremacy. Also daunting. And nothing indicates that it will change in the near future. Every so often a Nacional de Medellín, an Olimpia, intrudes, but very sporadically, and increasingly spaced. The Uruguayans, formerly strong animators, will complete 33 editions without an Olympic round. It is curious, despite having a brilliant past in the Cup, the Uruguayans are practically the only ones who do not claim more places in the grid, they already have four and they know that, apart from Nacional and Peñarol, perhaps Defensor, there is no other with real possibilities to make a relevant campaign.

River Plate celebrates in the Copa Libertadores.

(Read also: New year for James: he overcomes the injury and is excited for 2021)

Just as it is, it is a heads-up between the two greats and the others do not fight, hardly participate and collect the prizes. And what was a tournament of irresistible appeal entered the yawning zone for more than half the continent.

“They win because they are given too many quotas,” they claim from various countries. But it happens that in the first forty years of the Cup, two places were distributed per country and Argentines and Brazilians took the trophy with almost the same frequency as now. The reality is that the remaining eight countries already have four places each and do not compete well. River scored 14 goals against the Peruvian Binational champion, 8-0 and 6-0. Would it solve something if Peru’s fifth and sixth players also enter…? Would it give more excitement to the tournament …? Wouldn’t it be better if they tried to raise the level of their game…?

In 1999 Brazil and Argentina hit the table at Conmebol demanding greater participation: “We won the titles, we filled the stadiums, we contributed the stars, we attracted television and sponsors, we cannot have two teams the same as the others.” Irrefutable arguments. Thus, as of 2000, they increased their quota, until they currently have 7 places in Brazil, 6 in Argentina and 4 in the remaining eight. And as the champions of the Libertadores and the Sudamericana are usually also Argentine or Brazilian, their teams end up being 8 and 7 many times. There is an additional topic: the number of big clubs in these two countries. Brazil has had ten different champions, Argentina eight. Of the others, only Uruguay and Colombia present two: Peñarol and Nacional, Nacional and Caldas.

Brazil has had ten different champions, Argentina eight. Of the others, only Uruguay and Colombia present two: Peñarol and Nacional, Nacional and Caldas

But what does not arouse expectations in other countries, does strengthen the health of the business. Television never paid as much for rights as it does now, which is why everyone charges succulent rewards for intervening, even if they are quickly removed. And the sponsors fight to get in. Today there are ten world-class brands that associate their names with the tournament: Ford, Amstel, Betfair, Bridgestone, EA Sports, Gatorade, Mastercard, Qatar Airways, Rexona and Santander.

(Read also: ‘On the field, Maradona was a poet’: Pope Francis)

The Cup brings together 47 clubs, quite a lot. And if the Mexicans enter, something very likely if they set it as a goal, the number will rise. What to do then…? We conducted a survey on Twitter on the subject; 977 fans participated: they won the option of giving the same quotas to the ten countries with 35.5%. Second was “Let the others improve” with 30%, third “Get some quotas to Argentina and Brazil” (18.9%) and fourth “It’s fine as it is” (15%). The European Champions League is a good mirror to look at. They have more problems than South America because there are 55 countries; however, the distribution criterion was by power, tradition, titles, number of clubs and players. When the distribution was made, they did not give England a quota and Luxembourg one. No; England has four and Luxembourg none, must play a previous playoff.

Yes, it would be interesting to introduce the system of coefficients for performance in the Libertadores. Who does it best, adds percentages and gets one more place. Those who come out last will lose their presence. Pure sporting merit. The presence of at least four Mexican clubs would also rank the contest. They guarantee potential, public, impressive stadiums, massive television audience, important figures, high repercussion… But on the part of the organization, there is not much more that can be done to diversify the winners. It is up to each one to try to optimize their possibilities, obtaining more resources, retaining their best values, supporting long-range projects. If everyone is waiting for a figurine to emerge so that they can sell it and make money, success is elusive. It is not enough to reduce the quotas of those who – precisely – make possible the contracts that support the tournament.

JORGE BARRAZA
For the time
@JorgeBarrazaOK

.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending