The Copa Sudamericana was drawn with Independiente and Racing as protagonists: how did the groups end up

The wait finally ended and today, in Luque, Paraguay, the groups of the 2022 edition of the Copa Sudamericana met. Independiente, Racing, Lanús, Defensa y Justicia, Banfield and Unión de Santa Fe will seek to stay with “the great conquest”.

As has been happening for a few years, in this instance there will be eight groups with four members each, in which only the first will advance to the round of 16, where they will be matched with the third groups of the Copa Libertadores group stage. Previously, Conmebol defined the four pots by ranking (with a closing date of December 16). In addition, it was recorded that within the same group there could not be two teams from the same country.

Another fact to keep in mind is that, as with the Champions League, the rule of the away goal was eliminated in the final stages.

· THIS IS HOW THE GROUPS WERE DEFINED:

Group A: Lanús (Argentina), Montevideo Wanderers (Uruguay), Metropolitanos (Venezuela), Barcelona (Ecuador)

Pool B: Racing (Argentina), Melgar (Peru), River Plate (Uruguay) and Cuiabá (Brazil)

Group C: Santos (Brazil), Union La Calera (Chile), Banfield (Argentina) and Catholic University (Ecuador)

Group D: Sao Paulo (Brazil), Jorge Wilstermann (Bolivia), Ayacucho (Peru) and Everton (Chile)

Group E: Porto Alegre International (Brazil), Independiente Medellin (Colombia), 9 de Octubre (Ecuador) and Guairena (Paraguay)

Pool F: Liga de Quito (Ecuador), Defense and Justice (Argentina), Atlético Goianiense (Brazil) and Antofagasta (Chile)

Group G: Independent (Argentina), Deportivo La Guaira (Venezuela), Ceará (Brazil) and General Caballero (Paraguay)

Group H: Junior, East Oil, Union of Santa Fe (Argentina)

· THE DATES OF THE GROUP STAGE:

First: from 5 to 7 April

Second: from April 12th to 14th

Third: from April 26th to 28th

Fourth: May 3 to 5

Fifth: from May 17 to 19

Sixth: from May 24 to 26

· FINAL ROUNDS:

Round of 16: from 28 to 30 June (first leg) and from 5 to 7 July (second leg)

Quarterfinals: August 2-4 (first leg) and August 9-11 (second leg)

Semifinals: 30 and 31 August (first leg) and 6 and 7 September (second leg)

Final: October 1, at the Mané Garrincha stadium in Brasilia (Brazil)

· HISTORICAL TABLE OF TITLES:

Mouth 2

Independent 2

Athletico Paranaense 2

Quito League 1

River Plate 1

Lanus 1

Saint Lawrence 1

Scientano 1

Pachuca 1

Arsenal 1

Inter Porto Alegre 1

University of Chile 1

San Pablo 1

Santa Fe 1

Chapecoense 1

Independent of the Valley 1

Defense and Justice 1