Copa Sudamericana, Why Watch IT?

There is a big difference between Copa Sudamericana and Copa Libertadores, nothing new about that. Libertadores represents the glamour of total glory, does now, always will. Sudamericana used to represent the crumbles of glory left by Copa Lib's winners and the filling fútbol matter in an otherwise empty fall calendar... but you could argue that status is changing.

It will never achieve Libertadores status, but the truth is it is showcasing some very good teams worthy of international competition. It also gives teams we've never heard of before a chance to shine or burn in the spotlight.

It may all be part of a marketing strategy, but it makes for compelling television watching. Bulked scores have been exploding everywhere, a 9-0 this week in Uruguay, a 5-0 the next in Ecuador. That is not necessarily good, the first stages are clearly a little crazy in that sense and can lead to boredom -that is if a 9 nil doesn't entertain you-, but as the tournament progresses the great teams start showing their colors.

Copa Sudamericana came as a merging answer to different Copas that were really void of interest. With the solid sponsorship of Nissan it represents an economic achievement and why not, a little glory. It's silverware! Big teams want their shot, smaller newcomers want their shot at these big teams.

Liga de Quito won Copa Libertadores in 08' and then went on to beat Internacional (then Sudamericana champions, now Libertadores champions) for their 1st Recopa victory. Liga de Quito may have not managed to repeat in Copa Libertadores 09', however they took their Sudamericana seriously enough to win it, earn a bid in a new Recopa match-up against Estudiantes de La Plata (Lib champions 09') and win it. [the Recopa is played by the winners of Libertadores and Sudamericana]

This year's Copa Sudamericana is offering interesting headlines. The little detail that it awards the winner a Copa Libertadores bid is surely spicing things up. Proper motivation will only elevate the competition.

After yesterday's matches we've reached the round of 16. 4 brazilian teams, 3 argentineans, 2 uruguayan, 2 colombian, 2 ecuadorian, 2 bolivian and one chilean have made it this far. Guess who lurks around... defending Champions and back to back Recopa winners winners Liga de Quito

Chile's biggest teams (U de Chile and Colo Colo) fell victims to a surge of Bolivian fútbol. Colombia's league leader Santa Fe is fighting for international recognition, things are interesting around the continent. Four of Argentina's six participating teams were of top level, two of the three that live on (Banfield and Newell's) are among the three most solid clubs in Argentina.

Different case in Brazil where this cup has historically been undermined. Of the 8 teams that qualified, the strongest being SantosFC, Grêmio, Palmerias and Atlético Mineiro, only two survived. Palmeiras, 9th in the Brasileirao and Atlético Mineiro, 18th and in relegation zone. The other two teams in the round of 16 are Goias, in -19th position and relegation- and Avai -16th position and 2 points from relegation-.

These numbers could explain why Argentina has won the Sudamericana four times while Brazil only one, but this is the result, in a big part, of timeframes. If you've heard the words of Marcos Lavieri in the South American Football Show you know that this is the time of year in which competing brazilian teams really start pushing for the championship, and that may have something to do with the numbers.

On the other hand a team like Avaí eliminated praised Santos FC and deserve their credit. Palmeiras overcame a 2-0 away deficit with a dramatic 3-0 victory. There is spice, even if the position on the table doesn't compel you to glue yourself to the TV.


There is much to watch now, it gets interesting. Remember, it's silverware, and good teams are always after a piece of it.


Alejandro Pérez / SAFS/ 24-9-10

Podcast - International round-ups and previews

With six of South America's national teams drafting in new head coaches in recent months the show looks at how these gaffers are coping with the current international break. Tim and Ale are helped in their investigation by a clutch of the continent's top journos, new signings Eddie Fleischman of Peru and Diego Arcos of Ecuador join the old guard of Argentina's Gaby Franchini and Brazil's Marcos Lavieri.

href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/free-download-the-south-american-football-show-2067783.html">

Brazilian football’s Internacional springboard

“We all hope he hits the ground running and adds to what we think is a good blend of youth and experience in our squad.”

This was the reaction to Javier “Chicharito” Hernández’s arrival at Old Trafford from Manchester United number two Mike Phelan. No doubt Chicharito had a late night last week watching his old team torn apart by another enviable blend of youth of experience.

Chivas de Guadalajara , Chicharito’s former employees, failed in their attempt to become the first Mexican winners of the Copa Libertadores at the hands of Internacional of Brazil.

Progressive management off the pitch in recent years has seen Inter’s fan membership scheme exceed 100,000, making them the most popular club in South America. Partnerships with supporters and businesses have helped put Inter on a sound financial footing but these revenue streams are small fry compared with their work in the transfer window.

Read the rest of the article on The Independent's website

The South American Football Show 4.0

Fourth installment of your show, my show, everybody's South American Football Show.

Brazil
Inter de Porto Alegre's recipe for success.
Deco Returns
Invite Ronaldo to your Barbeques
Serie A
Copa Sudamericana from Brazillian eyes.1

Ale & Tim surf Copa Sudamericana action.

Ecuador
Reinaldo Rueda divides opinions
Youngsters to watch out for in Ecuador
Valle de Chota, hunger, needs and incredible football!


SAFS4 - by SAFS

Internacional superstars claim Copa Libertadores win

Brazil's Internacional fought off a spirited fight-back from Chivas de Guadalajara to win the 2010 Copa Libertadores.

After going down 2-1 in Mexico last week Chivas got themselves back on level terms in spectacular fashion. The visitors' dreams of leaving Brazil with the cup were then dashed by three second half strikes from Inter.

Read Tim's full match report in The Independent here

Copa Libertadores Stat Attack

A record breaking 40 clubs entered this year’s Copa Libertadores, now we are left with just two. Realistically though there’s just one and a half teams still in it with Chivas de Guadalajara already 2-1 down to Internacional before tonight’s trip to Brazil.

Ahead of tonight’s second leg of the final let’s have a look at the vital statistics of the 2010 Copa Libertadores. Each of the 137 games leading up to this point has had its fair share of talking points. On the first day of the competition Chile’s Universidad Católica were beaten 3-2 in Colón de Santa Fe’s “Cementerio de los Elefantes”. Colón’s Brigadier General Estanislao López stadium has earned it’s “Elephant Cemetery” tag as a result of previous giant killings.

One stadium yet to grow its own history is Chivas’ newly opened Estadio Omnilife. The first competitive match in the freshly built stadium saw the Mexican outfit lose their home leg of the Copa Libertadores final to Internacional. Tonight Chivas are in Porto Alegre hoping to overturn the 2-1 deficit and become the first Mexican side to win the prestigious tournament.

Crunching the numbers

Matches played: 137
Home wins: 73
Away wins: 27
Draws: 37
Goals: 324
Goal average per match: 2.36
Biggest win: Cruzeiro 7 - Real Potosi 0 (3rd February, Qualifying round)
Red cards: 73
Penalties awarded: 31 (23 scored)

Top Goalscorers
Thiago Ribeiro (Cruzeiro) 8
Kléber (Cruzeiro) 7
José Fernández (Alianza) 7
Luis Tejada (Juan Aurich) 6
Giuliano (Internacional) 5
Washington (Sao Paulo) 5
Rodolfo Gamarra (Libertad) 5
James Rodríguez (Banfield) 5
Mauro Boselli (Estudiantes) 4
Santiago Silva (Vélez) 4
Hernán López (Vélez) 4
Juan Morales (U. Católica) 4
Omar Bravo (Guadalajara) 4
Alecsandro (Internacional) 4

Los Millonarios struggling to afford Bolatti

Time is running out on any deal to bring Mario Bolatti to River Plate, unsurprisingly the major stubbling block is the player’s wage demands.

While River president Daniel Passarella believes “there is still time” to wrap up the transfer a text message from Bolatti to his agent Marcelo Simonian suggests the midfielder will not be heading home anytime soon.

Via SMS the Fiorentina player told Simonian “I’m not moving for that money.”

The Argentinian international currently picks up $1,200,000 a year in Italy but is willing to move to River if they can offer him a one million dollar paypacket.

The three year deal on the table from River nets Bolatti $550,000 in his first year, $600,000 in the second and $650,000 in the third. Bolatti’s basic salary at El Monumental would also be boosted by performance realted bonuses.

Daniel Passarella has said it is impossible to offer any more cash to reunite Bolatti with mentor Ángel Cappa in Núñez.

“If the player wants to be just a back-up at Fiorentina then there’s nothing we can do. If he comes here he will be our top paid player, earning more than Ortega.”

Meanwhile Los Millonarios hope their impressive start to the Apertura season will continue with Mariano Pavone fit for next weekend’s trip to Argentinos Juniors.

The only village to beat Wenger’s Arsenal, twice

The rocky landscape of Valle del Chota in northern Ecuador rarely gives the local fruit farmers much to cheer about. One bumper crop the region has been harvesting on a regular basis however is highly talented footballers.

Agustín Delgado and Édison Méndez grew up a stone’s throw from each other in the impoverished village of Chota. It was their goals which inflicted a brace of defeats on Wenger’s Arsenal while the Ecuadorian hitmen were at Southampton and PSV Eindhoven respectively.

Read the full article on Valle del Chota here...

The first three shows in one hot setlist!

The South American Football Show by SAFS

Two philosophies, one great match-up

Brazil's Inter de Porto Alegre and Mexico's Chivas de Guadalajara face off in this year's finals in Copa Libertadores. The mexicans will try for the second time to break Conmebol teams' natural reign over the cup: Cruz Azul lost it to Bianchi's Boca, even after winning in La bombonera. It's that hard to win a Copa Libertadores.

Will this be their year? The natural trend's ending by the hands of Chivas?

An interesting perspective comes from the fact that while Inter honors the team's name and mixes international players such as D'Alessandro and Guiñazú with local talent, Guadalajara's squad is purely mexican. A very international brazilian squad will face its counterpart in football and roster philosophy in Chivas Rayadas, alongside America, the most popular team in México.

If Chivas don't complain about the fact that even winning the cup they won't get a ticket to Fifa's Club World Championship, it may be because they are aware that to earn that right precedents have to be established. Either that or they just don't care and abide the rules that were laid out before joining the tournament. Concacaf has a place in that Club World Championship so in the end there is not much ground to talk about injustice.

The game will take place in Chivas' brand new stadium on wednesday night. Sold out already? Of course, very quickly.
Be sure to catch it, we will, and on this week's show we will address it properly, The South American Football Show Style.

For the greater good of tacos and mariachis!

Chivas de Guadalajara advances to Copa Libertadores finals after a personality-filled 2-0 victory in Santiago against U de Chile. The 'Chivas Rayadas' will host a leg of the finals in their brand new stadium, and will try to make it the first mexican team to win the South American cup, with the extra spice of making it with a strictly mexican player squad.

Looking forward to 2011's U20 World Cup

Colombia, who will be hosting next year's U20 World Cup, took a confident step in their squad preparations beating Argentina 1-0 in the final of a South American six nation tournament. Meanwhile, Colombia's Women's squad -only South American squad competing at the final stages- lost to South Korea and earned a fourth place finish in Germany's U-20' Women's World Cup.

Bright future for the Coffee growers? Let's hope so, for the sake of those who love coffee.

The South American Football Show - Two halves, just the way we like it.

First Half
http://thesouthamericanfootballshow.podbean.com/mf/web/zfp2f7/SAFS-PartOne2.m4a
Second Half
http://thesouthamericanfootballshow.podbean.com/mf/web/pqbj8/SAFS-PartTwo.m4a

Too narrow a lead at Beira Rio?

In the first leg of Copa Libertadores' semi-final between brazilian clubs Inter and Sâo Paulo, the locals took advantage and earned a close 1-0 victory. In the pitch Inter showed much more determination and at the final whistle looked as the rightful winner. Will it be enough looking forward to the second leg? Next week's match at Morumbi will tell the tale.

Copa Libertadores is back!

In a game played at Estadio Azteca, Universidad de Chile rescued an important 1-1 draw against Chivas in Ciudad de México, and look forward to taking the final step towards the final at home in Santiago next week.

Tonight, the other semi-final between Inter de Porto Alegre and Sao Paulo FC will take place in Porto Alegre and promises to be a classic brazilian clash.

Ciao Maradona

Diego Maradona is jobless after his contract as head coach of the Argentinian national team was torn up.

A meeting of the executive committee of the Argentinian Football Association (AFA) led by president Julio Grondona decided not to renew Maradona’s contract. AFA had the option to extend El Diego’s existing contract up until the completion of next year’s Copa America.

Maradona’s former World Cup winning team-mate Sergio Batista takes charge of Argentina for next month’s friendly against Ireland in Dublin.

Estudiantes’ Copa Libertadores winning gaffer Alejandro Sabella is tipped to be the next permanent head coach of Argentina.

Our thoughts with Alfredo

Alfredo Di Stefano is in a Madrid hospital as a result of heart problems.

Di Stefano, 84, was admitted to Hospital La Moraleja after complaining of chest pains. In December 2005 the former Huracán and Millonarios forward underwent a quadruple bypass.

The five-time European Cup winner and honorary president of Real Madrid is reported to be in a comfortable state and his stay in hospital is merely precautionary.

All the best Saeta Rubia, from all at The South American Football Show.

White smoke coming from the CBF

CBF has named Mano Menezes new head coach of the Brazil national squad. Corinthians released him and he will soon be officially announced. Muricy Ramalho, CBF's first choice turned down the offer and is expected to sign a Fluminense extension until 2012.

Colombian girls will bring caribbean heat to the Semis.

Colombia's Under 20 Women's team advanced to the U-20 World Cup semifinals in Germany for the first time ever after beating Sweden 2-0. They will face either the USA or Nigeria.

Host Germany advanced also, beating Korea DPR, and will face either Mexico or South Korea.

Riquelme set to leave Boca

Boca Juniors head coach Claudio Borghi expects free agent Juan Román Riquelme to exit La Bombonera.

On Borghi’s return to Argentina following his team’s tour of Oceania the coach said, “I’m imagining a Boca Juniors team without Riquelme.”

Contract talks between Los Xeneizes and the talented playmaker have stalled as a result of Riquelme’s wage demands.

Brazil replace Dunga with Muricy

Muricy Ramalho is on the verge of becoming the new head coach of the Brazilian national football team. The CBF are in the process of negotiating a compensation package with Ramalho’s current employers Fluminense.

Ramalho, 54, led São Paulo to three Brazilian league titles on the bounce between 2006 and 2008 and recently took Fluminense to the final of the Copa Sudamericana.

Rodrigo Paiva, spokesperson for the CBF, said “Ramalho has been invited to lead the national team and now he must make up his mind. We expect to hold a meeting soon with the officials at Fluminense.”

Boca Juniors beaten in New Zealand

Boca Juniors have been sent packing from Oceania after losing 2-1 to Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand. New signing Christian Cellay’s red card saw the tourists finish the match with 10 men.

Handbags, South American style

Paraguayan defender José Pedrozo has been handed down on a 27 match ban for his attempt to strangle referee Marcelo Miranda. Pedrozo took exception to Miranda issuing him a red card during the match between Rangers and Deportes Concepcion in the Chilean second division.

Chile's National Professional Football Association (ANFP) banned him for 20 games for his aggressive act, a further five for attacking the referee and two more for the red card.

Hola y bienvenidos amigos futboleros,

The South American Football Show brings you expert analysis of the Beautiful Game, from Cape Horn all the way up to the Panama Canal. The weekly show is hosted by football writers Alejandro Pérez and Tim Sturtridge. They speak to players, coaches, presidents, fans, journos and you the listener to get the definitive word on what is kicking off on the continent.

Alejandro has lived in Buenos Aires for a year now, sucked in by the passion for football that exudes from every corner of the city. He has a masters degree in journalism from Universidad de San Andrés and after not missing a kick of South Africa’s feast of football as part of the team at Argentinian television station Todo Noticias (TN) he is ready to hit the airwaves. Twenty plus years of suffering at the hands of his beloved Millonarios of Bogotá have only served to strengthen his love of the game. Who better to cover football in South American, warts and all?

Tim is back in Buenos Aires after covering the recent World Cup in South Africa for The Sun and The Independent plus contributing to the BBC World Service. Tim pitched up in Argentina two years ago and wasted no time in picking out Huracán as the club to share his existing allegiance to Exeter City. A journalism graduate from UCLAN, he now covers politics and sport in South America for The Independent as well as writing the English language website of Conmebol.com among other projects.

Without you the audience the show is nothing more than these two lads talking football over a couple of fernets and coke. Please get in touch through facebook, email, blogger, twitter and skype to help us out with the topics you want to hear discussed.

Un abrazo del Show de Fútbol Suramericano
thesouthamericanfootballshow@gmail.com