1973 Copa Libertadores
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | February 2 – July 6 |
| Teams | 19 (from 9 associations) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Independiente (4th title) |
| Runners-up |  Colo-Colo |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 65 |
| Goals scored | 187 (2.88 per match) |
← 1972 1974 → | |
Copa Libertadores 1973 was won by defending champions Independiente of Argentina after defeating Colo Colo of Chile in a third decisive game. The third match which ended 2-1 in extra time was necessary after the previous two leg matches ended in draws.
Group stage
| Team qualifies for second round |
Group 1
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 San Lorenzo
|
10 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 1 | +14 |
 Jorge Wilstermann
|
7 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | -2 |
| River Plate
|
5 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 10 | +2 |
| Oriente Petrolero
|
3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 19 | -14 |
| February 25 | Santa Cruz | Oriente Petrolero | 1-3 | River Plate |
| February 25 | Cochabamba | Wilstermann | 1-0 | San Lorenzo |
| February 28 | Santa Cruz | Oriente Petrolero | 0-3 | San Lorenzo |
| February 28 | Cochabamba | Wilstermann | 1-0 | River Plate |
| March 11 | Santa Cruz | Oriente Petrolero | 3-1 | Wilstermann |
| March 13 | Buenos Aires | San Lorenzo | 1-0 | River Plate |
| March 19 | Buenos Aires | River Plate | 2-2 | Wilstermann |
| March 20 | Buenos Aires | San Lorenzo | 4-0 | Oriente Petrolero |
| March 22 | Buenos Aires | San Lorenzo | 3-0 | Wilstermann |
| March 23 | Buenos Aires | River Plate | 7-1 | Oriente Petrolero |
| March 27 | Buenos Aires | River Plate | 0-4 | San Lorenzo |
| March 27 | Cochabamba | Wilstermann | 1-0 | Oriente Petrolero |
Group 2
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Botafogo
|
9 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 9 | +6 |
| Palmeiras
|
9 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 |
 Nacional
|
4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | -1 |
| Peñarol
|
2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 13 | -9 |
| February 17 | Montevideo | Nacional | 2-0 | Peñarol |
| February 17 | São Paulo | Palmeiras | 3-2 | Botafogo |
| February 24 | Rio de Janeiro | Botafogo | 3-2 | Nacional |
| February 25 | São Paulo | Palmeiras | 2-0 | Peñarol |
| February 28 | São Paulo | Palmeiras | 1-1 | Nacional |
| March 1 | Rio de Janeiro | Botafogo | 4-1 | Peñarol |
| March 10 | Montevideo | Peñarol | 1-1 | Nacional |
| March 12 | Rio de Janeiro | Botafogo | 2-0 | Palmeiras |
| March 14 | Montevideo | Peñarol | 2-2 | Botafogo |
| March 17 | Montevideo | Nacional | 1-2 | Botafogo |
| March 21 | Montevideo | Peñarol | 0-2 | Palmeiras |
| March 24 | Montevideo | Nacional | 1-2 | Palmeiras |
Group 3
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Colo-Colo
|
8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 4 | +12 |
 Emelec
|
7 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | -1 |
| El Nacional
|
5 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | -5 |
| Unión Española
|
4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | -6 |
| February 25 | Guayaquil | Emelec | 2-0 | El Nacional |
| March 1 | Santiago | Colo-Colo | 5-0 | Unión Española |
| March 11 | Guayaquil | Emelec | 1-0 | Unión Española |
| March 11 | Quito | El Nacional | 1-1 | Colo-Colo |
| March 14 | Guayaquil | Emelec | 1-0 | Colo-Colo |
| March 14 | Quito | Nacional | 1-0 | Unión Española |
| March 18 | Quito | El Nacional | 1-0 | Emelec |
| March 18 | Santiago | Unión Española | 0-0 | Colo-Colo |
| March 22 | Santiago | Unión Española | 2-1 | El Nacional |
| March 24 | Santiago | Unión Española | 1-1 | Emelec |
| March 25 | Santiago | Colo-Colo | 5-1 | El Nacional |
| March 28 | Santiago | Colo-Colo | 5-1 | Emelec |
Group 4
- The Venezuelan club teams Deportivo Italia and Deportivo Galicia did not participate in the Copa Libertadores due to internal problems with the Venezuelan footballing federation.
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Millonarios
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 |
| Deportivo Cali
|
1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | -4 |
| March 15 | Bogotá | Millonarios | 6-2 | Deportivo Cali |
| March 21 | Cali | Deportivo Cali | 0-0 | Millonarios |
Group 5
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cerro Porteño
|
9 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 | +9 |
| Olimpia
|
6 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
 Sporting Cristal
|
6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 9 | -4 |
| Universitario
|
3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | -5 |
| February 2 | Lima | Sporting Cristal | 2-2 | Universitario |
| February 4 | Asunción | Cerro Porteño | 4-2 | Olimpia |
| February 14 | Lima | Universitario | 2-1 | Olimpia |
| February 17 | Lima | Sporting Cristal | 1-0 | Olimpia |
| February 19 | Lima | Universitario | 0-2 | Cerro Porteño |
| February 22 | Lima | Sporting Cristal | 1-1 | Cerro Porteño |
| March 2 | Asunción | Olimpia | 2-1 | Cerro Porteño |
| March 2 | Lima | Universitario | 0-1 | Sporting Cristal |
| March 9 | Asunción | Olimpia | 3-1 | Universitario |
| March 15 | Asunción | Cerro Porteño | 1-0 | Universitario |
| March 16 | Asunción | Olimpia | 1-0 | Sporting Cristal |
| March 20 | Asunción | Cerro Porteño | 5-0 | Sporting Cristal |
Semi-Finals
- The five previous group leaders formed two new groups of three which included the 1972 Copa Libertadores defending champion Independiente.
Group A
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independiente
|
5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| San Lorenzo
|
4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 |
| Millonarios
|
3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 |
| April 6 | Bogotá | Millonarios | 1-0 | Independiente |
| April 11 | Bogotá | Millonarios | 0-0 | San Lorenzo |
| April 24 | Buenos Aires | San Lorenzo | 2-0 | Millonarios |
| April 26 | Avellaneda | Independiente | 2-0 | Millonarios |
| May 5 | Buenos Aires | San Lorenzo | 2-2 | Independiente |
| May 9 | Avellaneda | Independiente | 1-0 | San Lorenzo |
Group B
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colo-Colo
|
5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 9 | +1 |
| Cerro Porteño
|
4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 9 | -1 |
| Botafogo
|
3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| April 6 | Rio de Janeiro | Botafogo | 1-2 | Colo-Colo |
| April 11 | Asunción | Cerro Porteño | 5-1 | Colo-Colo |
| April 26 | Asunción | Cerro Porteño | 3-2 | Botafogo |
| May 4 | Santiago | Colo-Colo | 4-0 | Cerro Porteño |
| May 8 | Santiago | Colo-Colo | 3-3 | Botafogo |
| May 15 | Rio de Janeiro | Botafogo | 2-0 | Cerro Porteño |
Finals
| May 22 | Avellaneda | Independiente | 1-1 | Colo-Colo |
| May 29 | Santiago | Colo-Colo | 0-0 | Independiente |
| June 6 | Montevideo | Independiente | 2-1 AET (1-1) |
Colo-Colo |
Champion
| Copa Libertadores 1973 Winners |
|---|
 Independiente Fourth Title |