Do you know what the new Copa Libertadores rule is about?

With the intention that the gap between the two championships is not greater, Conmebol approved a new rule, which had already been requested previously by several clubs participating in the championship.

Since the 2020 edition, players from the teams that are eliminated during the group stage may be registered. What this means is that a player can play for two clubs in the same edition.

This is a great step because it will help teams to identify players that are key to their squad allowing more freedom when making signings, and players after being eliminated will be able to play again in the championship.

However, there are also conditions for this to be accomplished. In accordance with the modification made in article 3.7.4.1, players may be registered taking into account the following conditions:

1. A player who has participated in the preliminary stages may only be registered by the other club after the group stage.
2. If the player participated in the group stage, he may be registered by another club after the round of 16, which means that in the same phase a player may not participate for two different teams.
3. A player may not play the final phase (Eighth, Quarter, Semifinal and Final) for more than one club.
4. A player who has been signed by a club may not be re-enrolled in the original club, in the same edition of the tournament.

In addition, the regulation also specifies that in the List of Good Faith, understood as the official registration documents, five modifications will be allowed in the round of 16 round; two in the quarterfinals phase; and only two in the semifinals. No changes can be made for the final, but if an archer gets injured, he can be replaced at any time during the championship.

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UEFA competitions

As we had already mentioned, this new rule aligns with a current one of the popular European competitions. Both in the Champions League, as in the Europa League, and as in the Copa Libertadores, a player can play for a team in the qualifying stages, and then represent another team in the group stage of either of these two competitions.

The changes, carried out in the 18/19 season were made to favor both teams and players doing business in the winter market. In addition, in these changes, the participation of a fourth substitute was allowed “exclusively during the extension in the qualifying matches,” according to Expansión.

This new rule benefited the competition, and is likely to do so for the Copa Libertadores, as it allows greater dynamics in the purchase and sale of players. Meanwhile, the new edition of the competition is expected to begin on January 21 and end on February 13 with the qualifying phase. In March the group phase will begin and will last until May.

Flamengo, the team that holds the title and with which it reached the final of the Club World Cup when it lost against Liverpool, is expected to return to an outstanding participation and more when the entire squad was selected as the ideal team (including coach Gabriel Jesus) for the Conmebol.