What has happened so far in the 2021 Copa Libertadores? The 2021 Copa Libertadores began less than a month after the 2020 edition came to an end with Palmeiras' narrow victory over Santos in the final, due to delays in its playing caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. On February 23 Uruguay's Liverpool met Catolica of Ecuador in the opening match of the first preliminary phase, officially kicking off the new tournament. With four rounds of the group stage already completed in this accelerated Libertadores, both Palmeiras and Atletico Mineiro have already secured safe passage to the last 16, the former with a perfect record so far.