The Champions League is now over and the Euros aren’t for another couple of weeks and you are probably wondering where you are going to get your next football fix. Well I have the solution for you. It’s called the Copa Libertadores - South America’s premier football competition. The tournament is currently at its semi-final stage but all honesty its worth checking the whole tournament out as I am on the opinion that it is better the Champions League, for sheer entertainment, drama and excitement. What follows are some of the reason why I hold that opinion. 

Games every week

Unlike the Champions League where you have two match days every two weeks there are matches played every week in the Copa Libertadores. Not only are they played every week there is at least one match played on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (Australian time) every week, international weeks aside, for the whole of the Group Stage. Due also to the diverse time zones of the region and as teams look to grab any advantage they can you can be pretty much guaranteed to watch three games one after the other on any given day. One bonus of being in Australia and especially for university students and those out of work these games take place in the morning. How good is that?

The same teams don’t win it every year

One thing about the Copa Libertadores is that it isn’t the same teams getting to the finals and semi-finals each year and whilst teams from Brazil and Argentina tend to dominate the list of winners it tends to be different teams from those countries (which is down to each countries different qualification criteria) who lift the trophy. Much focus this year is focused on Universidad de Chile who could become only the second ever Chilean team to win the tournament.

Neymar

Whilst the Champions League may have the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney there is no one that has the South Americans talking as much as Neymar da Silva Santos Junior. Despite being constantly linked with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona, the twenty year-old has to chosen to stay in his country of birth and is currently the highest paid player on the continent. He played a huge role in Santos’ 2011 Copa Libertadores triumph and is again playing his part as they look to make it back-to-back intercontinental titles. A prime example of his talents was his key key role in Santos’ recent 8-0 thumping of Bolivian side, Bolivar, where he was involved in six of the goals. He is part Lionel Messi, part Cristiano Ronaldo and part wannabe 80s rock star whose haircut changes as often as the rumours linking him to various clubs in Europe. Catch him now in his home country before he makes the big move - for me it’s how I imagine it was like when Pele was in full flight.

Universidad de Chile

During the recent Europa Cup everyone’s imagination was captured by the play of Marcelo Bielsa’s Athletic Bilbao as they disposed of a number of teams including Manchester United on their way to the final. The fawning by some members of the media was a little embarrassing but one can only imagine their response if they watched Chilean side Universidad de Chile in action. The Chilean club, are managed by Argentinean Jorge Sampaoli, who is very much a disciple of the aforementioned Bielsa. I have struggled to find words to describe how they play but the following description from The Football Ramble’s Rupert Fryer sums it up best for me:

“It is a high-pressing, high-tempo, high-energy, high-pretty much everything style that is a joy to behold - and bloody effective, too!”

There is no better example of Universidad de Chile in action than in their recent Round of 16 match where they came back from a 4-1 defeat in the first leg against their Ecuadorian opponents, Deportivo Quito to win the return leg 6-0 in one of the most devastating displays of football you have ever seen. Like with most South American teams it won’t last as the teams of Europe come calling so watch it now whilst you still can.

No extra time

Don’t you hate when it you are getting ready for work in the morning and you are watching the Champions League and it goes to extra time. Either you end up being late for work or miss the end of the match. But with the Copa Libertadores you don’t have to worry about that as there is no such as extra time. If the teams can’t be separated at the end of 180 minutes it is straight to penalties. There is no messing around in South America and it takes away the more often not boring element that is extra time.

Goals

You may not understand a word of the language but there is nothing better hearing a Spanish or Portuguese speaking commentator belts out his own version of “GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!” This one from a Colombian commentator is the best one I have heard all season. Oh and another thing they aren’t worried about being biased at all.

No John Terry

Even he can’t get his hands on this trophy.