Testing Times

Whilst the group stages of the Copa Libertadores aren't quite the cash cow that the Champions League is competition to reach them will still be fierce. The guaranteed income that they provide will keep the bailiff's away and the tax man happy for a few months. With the financial tightrope that the majority of Argentina's clubs are balanced on both Newell's and Colón will feel the pressure to progress.


Newell's face the longest trans-Andean trek as they've been drawn against Ecuadorean side Emelec of Guayaquil a mere 4000km away. The PSV Eindhoven of Latin America - whose origins are also borne of a local electrics factory will be testing opponents for The Lepers. Emelec were the country's first representatives in the Copa Libertadores of 1962 a decade in which clubs from both banks of the Rio de la Plata dominated. Football in Ecuador has shrugged off the tag of perpetual minnows in recent years with Liga de Quito winning the 2008 Copa Libertadores and Recopa Sudamericana and also last years Copa Sudamericana. A barometer of the country's progress can be seen from the amount of talent now playing in Europe. With Guayaquil being at sea level at least Newell's wont have to wrestle with the affects of altitude they will however be subjected to a hot and clammy tropical climate.

In contrast to Newell's, Colón of Santa Fe are faced with a short hop to Santiago where they will play Universidad Católica, who lost out to city rivals Colo Colo in the final of 2009's Apertura. This will be Colón's first Libertadores appearance since 1998 and they have qualified by virtue of the amount of points they amassed last year, a trip to Chile's third most successful club is scant reward for their toils. Lining up against Católica will be 37 year old striker Esteban Fuertes Colón's all time record goalscorer and the archetypal footballing nomad. Never has David Coleman's 'goals pay the rent, and Keegan does his share' quote seemed more apt. Considering the amount of teams he's played it's of no great surprise that he also had a spell with La UC which ended under somewhat of cloud when he suffered a knee injury.

The triumph of Estudiantes last season was a majestic achievement. This victory has masked the collective failings of Argentina's other representatives and also highlighted the general decline in standards throughout the league, only the eventual champions reached the quarter finals as opposed to four teams from Brazil. Both San Lorenzo and Lanús finished bottom of their respective groups and as I've mentioned before none of the Big Five have made it this year, they'll have the various pre-season clásicos to fret over.

This year's Copa Libertadores schedule in full:
http://img.mazimou.com:90/3749/documents/140.pdf

Derby Day

I doubt whether you'd find the Rosario derby listed in '100 Sporting Events to See Before You Die' unlike the Superclásico or the University Boat Race (never understood that one). In a country where derbies happen every weekend in or around Greater Buenos Aires there is an argument from certain quarters suggesting that this provincial city clásico is somewhat overlooked by the Bs As centric media (NB both Boca and River have departed Rosario in recent weeks, trousers down and point-less). In light of this Rosario Central and Newell's Old Boys have done their bit over the last week to ensure that events surrounding this clash make the news even in the Capital.

With the match being played at Rosario's Gigante de Arroyito stadium the thorny issue of ticket allocation for the visiting Newell's fans was the spark that led to disturbances, recriminations and mud-slinging. In short Newell's have been given 3500 tickets for the game where in the past they have received 8000; a gentleman's agreement between the clubs they believe should still be honoured. Furious Newell's fans marched on Rosario's stadium earlier in the week with inevitable results, 15 arrests and 7 injuries when they clashed with police and Canallas (Rosario fans) intent on guarding their 'manor'. In the interim relations have soured between the two clubs. Rosario president Horacio Usandizaga has done little to calm matters with his most recent outbursts claiming that Newell's incited the violence and a bizarre reference to an old Jewish proverb about prefering theives to liers when speaking of the Newell's president. The authorities responsible for match security were the other target for his ire.

Recently elected Newell's president Guillermo Lorente has been admirably restrained to date and has tried to put the match into perspective - a difficult task in football crazed Argentina 'this should be a fiesta, not a war'. Two days before kick-off and the opening skirmishes in this 'war' look set to continue.

If you would like to read a fans eye view from the Newell's side of this game be sure to visit A Leper in a Strange Land (http://leperinastrangland.blogspot.com/) David Phillips excellent and unashamedly biased take on all things Leper.

Hasta luego!