In addition to being the only Brazilian team to win three titles, São Paulo was responsible for the biggest defeat in history in the Libertadores final: the 5-0 victory over Université Católica in 1993, at Morumbi (Photo: Pixabay) Talk about the São Paulo Futebol Clube will talk about the Copa Libertadores da América. Two things are related. This achievement made the Morumbi tricolor three-time world champion, which is unprecedented among Brazilian clubs. But today the story is the Libertadores.The Morumbi team won its first Copa Libertadores da América in 1992, by beating Newell’s Old Boys, from Argentina. In the first game, Argentina won 1-0, and in the home game, São Paulo also won by the same score. The team led by the experienced Telê Santana had to resort to penalties, which they ended up winning 3-2.
The São Paulo team had a fantastic squad, with players like Zetti, Pintado, Cafu, Raí, Muller, Antônio Carlos and other stars. More than 105 thousand São Paulo fans were at Morumbi to celebrate their first Copa Libertadores.
The joy of the São Paulo fans did not end with this success in '92: the following year, in 1993, in the 34th edition of the Copa Libertadores da América, the three colors once again brought great joy to their fans.
The Morumbi club won the second consecutive trophy by defeating the Chileans from Universiti Católica in the final by 5-1. With almost 100 thousand fans, the Morumbi stadium erupted for the second dispute. This was by far the biggest defeat ever recorded in a qualifying game for the tournament final.
Despite losing 2-0 to Chile, São Paulo, with a big advantage in the second round, lifted the trophy and became two-time champions of the Copa Libertadores da América.
Telê Santana's team maintained a good part of the squad compared to last year, and had stars such as Zetti, Cafu, Raí, Pintado, Muller and Toninho Cerezo, as well as other important and complete players, even and after beating O team Barcelona's dreams in the Japanese Interclub Cup.
In 1994, the Morumbi tricolor was about to realize its dream of three consecutive championships, but the Argentines of Vélez Sarsfield denied it.
The brothers won the first leg, at the José Amalfitani Stadium, in Buenos Aires, and ended up losing 1-0 at Morumbi.
The tournament was decided on penalties, and the Buenos Aires team ended up winning 5–3 and becoming tournament champions.
São Paulo came back strong in another Libertadores final in It was the 46th edition of the competition, and the rivalry ended up pitting two Brazilian teams against each other, São Paulo and Atlético Paranaense.
The first meeting took place at the Beira Rio stadium, in Porto Alegre, and ended in a 1-1 draw, but in the second the three colors intensified and ended up breaking the storm coached by Antônio Lopes, resulting in a 4-0 defeat and, in this way, , becoming three-time champion of the Copa Libertadores da América.
At the time, São Paulo's coach was Paulo Autuori and had a first-class squad, including Rogério Ceni, Cicinho, Lugano, Amoroso, Josué, Danilo and other prominent players.
However, in the following year, 2006, still driven by third place in the Libertadores and victory in the World Cup against Liverpool, Morumbi's tricolor were unable to face Internacional from Porto Alegre, then coached by Abel Braga. Colorado recently won the trophy from world champion São Paulo.
Abel's team won 2-1 at Morumbi and drew 2-2 in Porto Alegre. After 97 years of waiting, Internacional de Porto Alegre won the first Copa Libertadores de América. Even Muricy Ramalho, in command of a team of stars, such as Rogério Ceni, Lugano, Ricardo Oliveira (who was unable to compete in the final), among others, was unable to stop Internacional from realizing their dream.
The three colors of Morumbi hold a record in the Libertadores that has not yet been surpassed. It is the only Brazilian team to have played in three consecutive finals of the tournament, in 1992, 1993 and 1994. Despite the bad years, no Brazilian team managed to surpass the mark of three titles. And before Flamengo and Palmeiras stop being two with recent success, who knows, who knows, maybe São Paulo will be able to achieve the unprecedented four?