View source for 1978 Copa Libertadores

{{Short description|19th season of Copa Libertadores}}
{{Infobox international football competition
| tourney_name   = Copa Libertadores de América
| year           = 1978
| dates          = June 27 – November 28
| num_teams      = 21
| associations   = 10
| champion_other = {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Boca Juniors]]
| count          = 2
| second_other   = {{flagicon|COL}} [[Deportivo Cali]]
| matches        = 75
| goals          = 179
| attendance     = 
| top_scorer     = 
| player         = 
| prevseason     = [[1977 Copa Libertadores|1977]]
| nextseason     = [[1979 Copa Libertadores|1979]]
}}

The '''1978 edition of Copa Libertadores''' was won by [[Boca Juniors]], of Argentina for the second straight year, after defeating [[Deportivo Cali]] of Colombia in the final. The defending champions won the two-leg final 0–4 on aggregate, with all four goals coming in the second-leg match after the first leg ended in a goalless draw. 

==Qualified teams==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!width=125|Country
!width=150|Team
!width=300|Qualification method
|-
|[[CONMEBOL]]<br /><small>(1 berth)</small>
|[[Boca Juniors]]
|[[1977 Copa Libertadores]] champion
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{flag|Argentina}}<br><small>(2 berths)</small>
|[[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]
|[[1977_Argentine_Primera_División#Metropolitano_Championship|1977 Metropolitano]] champion
|-
|[[Club Atlético Independiente|Independiente]]
|[[1977_Argentine_Primera_División#Nacional_Championship|1977 Nacional]] champion
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{BOL}}<br /><small>(2 berths)</small>
|[[The Strongest]]
|[[1977 Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano|1977 Primera División]] champion
|-
|[[Oriente Petrolero]]
|[[1977 Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano|1977 Primera División]] runner-up
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{BRA}}<br /><small>(2 berths)</small>
|[[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]]
|[[1977 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A]] champion
|-
|[[Clube Atlético Mineiro|Atlético Mineiro]]
|[[1977 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A]] runner-up
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{CHI}}<br /><small>(2 berths)</small>
|[[Unión Española]]
|[[1977 Primera División de Chile|1977 Primera División]] champion
|-
|[[Club Deportivo Palestino|Palestino]]
|[[1977_Primera_División_de_Chile#Liguilla_Pre-Copa_Libertadores|1977 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores]] winner
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{COL}}<br /><small>(2 berths)</small>
|[[Atlético Junior|Junior]]
|[[1977 Campeonato Profesional]] champion
|-
|[[Deportivo Cali]]
|[[1977 Campeonato Profesional]] runner-up
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{ECU}}<br /><small>(2 berths)</small>
|[[Club Deportivo El Nacional|El Nacional]]
|[[1977 Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol Serie A|1977 Campeonato Ecuatoriano]] champion
|-
|[[LDU Quito]]
|[[1977 Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol Serie A|1977 Campeonato Ecuatoriano]] runner-up
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{PAR}}<br /><small>(2 berths)</small>
|[[Cerro Porteño]]
|[[1977 Paraguayan Primera División season|1977 Primera División]] champion
|-
|[[Club Libertad|Libertad]]
|[[1977 Paraguayan Primera División season|1977 Primera División]] runner-up
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{PER}}<br /><small>(2 berths)</small>
|[[Alianza Lima]]
|[[1977 Torneo Descentralizado|1977 Primera División]] champion
|-
|[[Sporting Cristal]]
|[[1977 Torneo Descentralizado|1977 Primera División]] runner-up
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{URU}}<br /><small>(2 berths)</small>
|[[Club Atlético Peñarol|Peñarol]]
|1977 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores winner
|-
|[[Danubio F.C.|Danubio]]
|1977 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores runner-up
|-
|rowspan="2"|{{VEN}}<br /><small>(2 berths)</small>
|[[Portuguesa FC|Portuguesa]]
|[[1977 Venezuelan Primera División season|1977 Primera División]] champion
|-
|[[Estudiantes de Mérida]]
|[[1977 Venezuelan Primera División season|1977 Primera División]] runner-up
|-
|}

== Draw ==
The champions and runners-up of each football association were drawn into the same group along with another football association's participating teams. Three clubs from Argentina competed as [[Boca Juniors]] was champion of the [[1977 Copa Libertadores]]. They entered the tournament in the Semifinals.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Group 1
! Group 2
! Group 3
! Group 4
! Group 5
|-
|
*{{flag|Argentina}}
*{{flag|Ecuador}}
|
*{{flag|Bolivia}}
*{{flag|Peru}}
|
*{{flag|Brazil|1968}}
*{{flag|Chile}}
|
*{{flag|Colombia}}
*{{flag|Uruguay}}
|
*{{flag|Paraguay}}
*{{flag|Venezuela|1930}}
|}

==Group stage==
===Group 1===
<section begin=Group1 />{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL  |show_matches=true|matches_style=FBR
|res_col_header=Q
|title=Group 1 standings
|teamwidth=165
|winpoints=2

|team1=RIV|name_RIV={{flagicon|ARG}} [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]] 
|team2=IND|name_IND={{flagicon|ARG}} [[Club Atlético Independiente|Independiente]]
|team3=LDQ|name_LDQ={{flagicon|ECU}} [[LDU Quito]] 
|team4=EN|name_EN={{flagicon|ECU}} [[C.D. El Nacional|El Nacional]]
|win_RIV=2|draw_RIV=4|loss_RIV=0|gf_RIV=7|ga_RIV=1
|win_IND=3|draw_IND=2|loss_IND=1|gf_IND=6|ga_IND=2
|win_LDQ=2|draw_LDQ=1|loss_LDQ=3|gf_LDQ=4|ga_LDQ=10
|win_EN=1|draw_EN=1|loss_EN=4|gf_EN=6|ga_EN=10
|col_QSF=#CCFFCC|text_QSF=Qualified to the [[#Semi-finals|semi-finals]]
|result1=QSF
|update=complete|source=

<!--Matches-->

|match_EN_IND=1–2
|match_EN_LDQ=2–0
|match_EN_RIV=1–1

|match_IND_EN=2–0
|match_IND_LDQ=2–0
|match_IND_RIV=0–0

|match_LDQ_EN=3–2
|match_LDQ_IND=1–0
|match_LDQ_RIV=0–0

|match_RIV_EN=2–0
|match_RIV_IND=0–0
|match_RIV_LDQ=4–0

}}<section end=Group1 />

====Tiebreaker====
{{OneLegStart}}
|-
{{OneLegResult| '''[[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]''' {{flagicon|ARG}} || 4–1 | {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Club Atlético Independiente|Independiente]] }}
|-
|}

===Group 2===
<section begin=Group2 />{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL  |show_matches=true|matches_style=FBR
|res_col_header=Q
|title=Group 2 standings
|teamwidth=165
|winpoints=2

|team1=ALI|name_ALI={{flagicon|Peru}} [[Alianza Lima]]
|team2=CRI|name_CRI={{flagicon|Peru}} [[Sporting Cristal]]
|team3=STR|name_STR={{flagicon|Bolivia}} [[The Strongest]]
|team4=OPE|name_OPE={{flagicon|Bolivia}} [[Oriente Petrolero]]
|win_ALI=5|draw_ALI=1|loss_ALI=0|gf_ALI=19|ga_ALI=5
|win_CRI=3|draw_CRI=1|loss_CRI=2|gf_CRI=9|ga_CRI=9
|win_STR=2|draw_STR=0|loss_STR=4|gf_STR=7|ga_STR=12
|win_OPE=1|draw_OPE=0|loss_OPE=5|gf_OPE=5|ga_OPE=14
|col_QSF=#CCFFCC|text_QSF=Qualified to the [[#Semi-finals|semi-finals]]
|result1=QSF
|update=complete|source=
<!--Matches-->

|match_ALI_CRI=2–2
|match_ALI_OPE=5–1
|match_ALI_STR=2–0

|match_CRI_ALI=1–4
|match_CRI_OPE=1–0
|match_CRI_STR=3–0

|match_OPE_ALI=0–4
|match_OPE_CRI=0–1
|match_OPE_STR=4–1

|match_STR_ALI=1–2
|match_STR_CRI=3–1
|match_STR_OPE=2–0

}}<section end=Group2 />

===Group 3===
<section begin=Group3 />{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL  |show_matches=true|matches_style=FBR
|res_col_header=Q
|title=Group 3 standings
|teamwidth=165
|winpoints=2

|team1=CAM|name_CAM={{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Clube Atlético Mineiro|Atlético Mineiro]]
|team2=UE |name_UE ={{flagicon|Chile}} [[Unión Española]]
|team3=SAO|name_SAO={{flagicon|Brazil}} [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]]
|team4=PAL|name_PAL={{flagicon|Chile}} [[Club Deportivo Palestino|Palestino]]
|win_CAM=4|draw_CAM=2|loss_CAM=0|gf_CAM=16|ga_CAM=8
|win_UE =1|draw_UE =4|loss_UE =1|gf_UE =7|ga_UE =10
|win_SAO=1|draw_SAO=3|loss_SAO=2|gf_SAO=6|ga_SAO=7
|win_PAL=1|draw_PAL=1|loss_PAL=4|gf_PAL=8|ga_PAL=12
|col_QSF=#CCFFCC|text_QSF=Qualified to the [[#Semi-finals|semi-finals]]
|result1=QSF
|update=complete|source=

<!--Matches-->

|match_CAM_PAL=2–0
|match_CAM_SAO=1–1
|match_CAM_UE=5–1

|match_PAL_CAM=4–5
|match_PAL_SAO=0–1
|match_PAL_UE=2–3

|match_SAO_CAM=1–2
|match_SAO_PAL=1–2
|match_SAO_UE=1–1

|match_UE_CAM=1–1
|match_UE_PAL=0–0
|match_UE_SAO=1–1

}}<section end=Group3 />

===Group 4===
<section begin=Group4 />{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL  |show_matches=true|matches_style=FBR
|res_col_header=Q
|title=Group 4 standings
|teamwidth=165
|winpoints=2

|team1=CAL|name_CAL={{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Deportivo Cali]]
|team2=PEÑ|name_PEÑ={{flagicon|Uruguay}} [[Peñarol]]
|team3=JUN|name_JUN={{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Atlético Junior|Junior]]
|team4=DAN|name_DAN={{flagicon|Uruguay}} [[Danubio F.C.|Danubio]]
|win_CAL=3|draw_CAL=2|loss_CAL=1|gf_CAL=5|ga_CAL=3
|win_PEÑ=3|draw_PEÑ=0|loss_PEÑ=3|gf_PEÑ=7|ga_PEÑ=7
|win_JUN=1|draw_JUN=4|loss_JUN=1|gf_JUN=1|ga_JUN=1
|win_DAN=1|draw_DAN=2|loss_DAN=3|gf_DAN=6|ga_DAN=8
|col_QSF=#CCFFCC|text_QSF=Qualified to the [[#Semi-finals|semi-finals]]
|result1=QSF
|update=complete|source=

<!--Matches-->

|match_CAL_DAN=2–0
|match_CAL_JUN=0–0
|match_CAL_PEÑ=1–0

|match_DAN_CAL=3–0
|match_DAN_JUN=0–0
|match_DAN_PEÑ=1–2

|match_JUN_CAL=0–0
|match_JUN_DAN=0–0
|match_JUN_PEÑ=1–0

|match_PEÑ_CAL=0–2
|match_PEÑ_DAN=4–2
|match_PEÑ_JUN=1–0

}}<section end=Group4 />

===Group 5===
<section begin=Group5 />{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL  |show_matches=true|matches_style=FBR
|res_col_header=Q
|title=Group 5 standings
|teamwidth=165
|winpoints=2

|team1=CCP|name_CCP={{flagicon|Paraguay}} [[Cerro Porteño]]
|team2=POR|name_POR={{flagicon|Venezuela|1930}} [[Portuguesa F.C.|Portuguesa]]
|team3=ESM|name_ESM={{flagicon|Venezuela|1930}} [[Estudiantes de Mérida]]
|team4=LIB|name_LIB={{flagicon|Paraguay}} [[Club Libertad|Libertad]]
|win_CCP=3|draw_CCP=3|loss_CCP=0|gf_CCP=7|ga_CCP=4
|win_POR=2|draw_POR=2|loss_POR=2|gf_POR=5|ga_POR=5
|win_ESM=1|draw_ESM=3|loss_ESM=2|gf_ESM=7|ga_ESM=8
|win_LIB=1|draw_LIB=2|loss_LIB=3|gf_LIB=4|ga_LIB=6
|col_QSF=#CCFFCC|text_QSF=Qualified to the [[#Semi-finals|semi-finals]]
|result1=QSF
|update=complete|source=

<!--Matches-->

|match_CCP_ESM=1–1
|match_CCP_LIB=1–0
|match_CCP_POR=1–0

|match_ESM_CCP=2–3
|match_ESM_LIB=1–1
|match_ESM_POR=0–0

|match_LIB_CCP=0–0
|match_LIB_ESM=2–1
|match_LIB_POR=1–2

|match_POR_CCP=1–1
|match_POR_ESM=1–2
|match_POR_LIB=1–0

}}<section end=Group5 />

==Semi-finals==

===Group A===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL  |show_matches=true|matches_style=FBR
|res_col_header=Q
|teamwidth=165
|winpoints=2

|team1=BOC|name_BOC={{flagicon|ARG}} [[Boca Juniors]]
|team2=RIV|name_RIV={{flagicon|ARG}} [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]
|team3=CAM|name_CAM={{flagicon|BRA}} [[Clube Atlético Mineiro|Atlético Mineiro]]
|win_BOC=3|draw_BOC=1|loss_BOC=0|gf_BOC=7|ga_BOC=2
|win_RIV=1|draw_RIV=1|loss_RIV=2|gf_RIV=1|ga_RIV=3
|win_CAM=1|draw_CAM=0|loss_CAM=3|gf_CAM=3|ga_CAM=6
|col_Q=#CCFFCC|text_Q=Qualified to the [[#Finals|final]]
|result1=Q
|update=complete|source=

<!--Matches-->

|match_CAM_BOC=1–2
|match_CAM_RIV=1–0

|match_BOC_CAM=3–1
|match_BOC_RIV=0–0

|match_RIV_CAM=1–0
|match_RIV_BOC=0–2

}}

===Group B===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL  |show_matches=true|matches_style=FBR
|res_col_header=Q
|teamwidth=165
|winpoints=2

|team1=CAL|name_CAL={{flagicon|COL}} [[Deportivo Cali]]
|team2=CCP|name_CCP={{flagicon|Paraguay}} [[Cerro Porteño]]
|team3=ALI|name_ALI={{flagicon|PER}} [[Alianza Lima]]
|win_CAL=3|draw_CAL=1|loss_CAL=0|gf_CAL=12|ga_CAL=4
|win_CCP=1|draw_CCP=1|loss_CCP=2|gf_CCP=4|ga_CCP=9
|win_ALI=1|draw_ALI=0|loss_ALI=3|gf_ALI=7|ga_ALI=10
|col_Q=#CCFFCC|text_Q=Qualified to the [[#Finals|final]]
|result1=Q
|update=complete|source=

<!--Matches-->

|match_ALI_CCP=3–0
|match_ALI_CAL=1–4

|match_CCP_ALI=3–1
|match_CCP_CAL=0–4

|match_CAL_ALI=3–2
|match_CAL_CCP=1–1

}}

==Finals==
{{main|1978 Copa Libertadores Finals}}
{{TwoLeg start}}
{{TwoLegResult|[[Deportivo Cali]]|Colombia| 0–4 |'''[[Boca Juniors]]'''|Argentina| 0–0 | 0–4 }}
{{end}}

==Champion==
{{winners||Copa Libertadores<br />1978 winners|{{flagicon|ARG|size=100px}}<br>[[Boca Juniors]]|2nd}}

==External links==
{{commons cat}}
* [https://www.rsssf.org/sacups/copa78.html Copa Libertadores 1978 by Karel Stokkermans] at [[RSSSF]]

{{Copa Libertadores Seasons}}

[[Category:1978 in South American football|1]]
[[Category:Copa Libertadores seasons]]