“Some have cruised through, some had to sweat to the end, but one way or another the big guns of South American football have made it to the knock out stage of the Copa Libertadores, the continent’s equivalent of the UEFA Champions League. Of the 16 remaining teams, half of them are former champions, sharing 20 titles between them. The highlight of the second round is a replay of last year’s final, Corinthians of Brazil against Argentina’s Boca Juniors. There is a fascinating all-Brazilian tie between in-form Atletico Mineiro and Sao Paulo, which may have a psychological advantage after managing to save itself in its last group game. Velez Sarsfield against Newell’s Old Boys is an intriguing all-Argentine clash. Another great Libertadores name is Nacional of Uruguay; three times winner, 39 times competitor, the Montevideo giant has taken part in every version of the tournament since 1997.” The World Game – Tim Vickery (Video)