Copa Libertadores. The formula: every country participated with 2 teams and in the first phase they were divided in 5 groups of 4 teams. So far, it was like always. But this time 3 teams of each group qualified to the 1/8 finals and the reigning Cup holder joined at this stage making 16 teams. From then on direct elimination to the final. But the tragic event in Colombia leading to cancellation of its 1989 championship – the murder of a referee – and the obvious involvement of drug lords in Colombian football, escalating to threats of international games referees led the CONMEBOL to sanctioning the Colombian clubs: they were banned from home games and had to play them in another country. Logistic problems – real or conveniently invented – led the Colombian participants to withdrawal from the tournament, except Atletico Nacional (Medellin), the reigning Copa Libertadores holder and belonging to the notorious Pablo Escobar. Atletico Medellin participated in the tournament, playing home games in… well, in Medellin at the 1/8 finals, but in Santiago (Chile) after that. However, the withdrawal of the other Colombian clubs left Group 3 with 2 teams (Argentinian Independiente and River Plate, which played as required, but for nothing for both teams qualified to the 1/8 automatically in fact) and 15 teams entering the second phase. Thus, one team was lucky to have a bye in the 1/8 finals.
The group phase was a Brazilian disaster – Vasco da Gama ended 3rd in Group 5 and Gremio – 4th. Uruguayan Progreso and Defensor Sporting finished with 7 points each in Group 4 and goal-difference placed Progreso at the first place, but Group 1 provided extra entertainment: all teams ended with 6 points. Goal-difference could not determine their final positions either, so 1st and 2nd place were determined by most goals scored – thus, Emelec (Ecuador) ended ahead The Strongest (Bolivia) – but the other two teams had exactly the same goal-difference – 6-7 – and play-off was staged between Bolivian Oriente Petrolero and Ecuadorian Barcelona – Barcelona won and took 3rd place. Lucky beginning, but the rest of their campaign was splendid. Surprisingly, they reached the final after eliminating mighty River Plate in penalty shootout in the ½ finals (regular games ended 1-0 and 0-1). At that stage Olimpia (Paraguay) took revenge for their loss at the 1989 to Atletico Nacional – they won in Santiago 2-1, but lost 2-3 at home managed to prevail 2-1 in the penalty shoot-out. Not only the Paraguayans were happy – the elimination of Atletico Nacional canceled the big chance of second consecutive victory of Pablo Escobar and drug money in the very year when CONMEBOL tried – lamely, as it was – to cut of them. So, the big final was Olimpia – Barcelona.
Olimpia hosted the first leg and won it 2-0.
Barcelona tried as much as they could in Guayaquil, but Marcelo Trobbiani’s goal was not enough. Tem minutes before he scored the veteran Paraguayan goalkeeper saved a penalty and in the 80th minute the Paraguayans equalized.
Olimpia won.
Naturally, the joy was endless.
Mixed feelings in Barcelona (Guayaquil) camp – of course, coming to the final only to lose it was no fun. But it was not a tragedy either – not only it was the first time for the club to reach Copa Libertadores final, but it was the biggest success of Ecuadorian football so far. It was grand achievement for club, city and country, something making everybody proud and thus grieve of the loss was replaced with much more positive attitude.
The success was largely due to the excellent coaching of former Argentine star Miguel Angel Brindisi, who took the reigns in 1989, bringing with himself old, but worthy reinforcements – his coutryman midfielder Marcelo Trobbiani (35 old, coming from Chilean Cobreloa) and the 31 years old Uruguayan striker Luis Acosta (from Ecuadorian Filabanco) in 1989 and in 1990 – one more famed Uruguayan: the 31-years old midfielder Mario Saralegui (from Penarol). May be over the hill for bigger clubs, but the vastly experienced trio was instrumental for Barcelona’s success – although no longer called to their national teams, the veterans brought class and inspiration to Barcelona, also helping Brindisi to emply his tactical schemes and demands.
Compared to their rivals, Olimpia (Asuncion) was very different – they were not newcomers on thebig scene at all – it was their 4th Copa Libertadores final and second in a row. Once they won the Cup already – in 1979. Now, 10 years later they secured a second victory. And well deserved it was, for Olimpia was playing fine for quite some time.
The success was largely due to the good work of two club Presidents – during the reign of Osvaldo Dominguez Dibb Olimpia won its first Copa Libertadores Cup and his successor Oscar Carrismo Neto continued in the same direction, successfully building a new team. Given Paraguayan resources, it was not an easy task and for that – a great, even rare, achievement. There was good base, transition was made carefully and level-headed, depending on home-grown talent and healthy atmosphere. Unlike Barcelona – and most South American clubs, indeed – Olimpia had only Paraguayan players in the squad.
A link with the great success of 1979 was maintained by hiring again the mastermind of the former triumph Luis Cubilla – the Uruguayan, now 50 years old, arrived for his second spell with Olimpia in 1988 and quickly repeated his first solid work. The team, according to the testimonies of the players, was wonderful collective of players who played together for a long time, they grew together as a team, matured and succeeded. Olimpia was well-oiled team, playing attacking football – that comes from everybody of the team asked for recollections, but memory is funny thing: in later years, players said the team was young and that contradicts birthdates: a good number of key players was approaching 30 in 1990 and there were still playing links with the 1979 triumphal squad – Jorge Guasch, for example. The goalkeeper Ever Hugo Almeida must be mentioned, of course: 42-years by now and living legend not only of the club, the naturalized Uruguayan was a great example and motivator for his teammates in both Olimpia and the Paraguayan national team. He was more than solid between the goalposts – particularly instrumental by saving penalties in both regular time and penalty shoot-outs, including the second leg of the final. Almeida retired shortly after the Copa Libertadores victory, but retired as a winner. Players like him and Guasch made the work Cubilla easier, for they were familiar with his style from previous work under him and quickly translated his demands in the dressing room. As a whole, Olimpia made a great transition from one team to another and rightfully came on top of South American football.