The 2013 Copa Libertadores Round of 16 is now set, after the last of the group stage games were completed on Thursday night. The standout series features defending champion Corinthians againstsix-time winner Boca Juniors, which labored to reach the Round of 16. Corinthians eeked passed Mexican side Tijuana on goal difference to finish top of its group, qualifying as the fourth seed, whileBoca was seeded 13th, finishing second behind Uruguayan side Nacional in a tight group where the top three were each separated by one point.
The other eye-catching series sees top-seededAtletico Mineiro take on three-time champion Sao Paulo. These teams already played each other twice in the group stage, with Atletico winning 2-1 at home and then losing 2-0 in Sao Paulo. However, thesecond game was meaningless for Atletico, as the Belo Horizonte club had already solidified first place in the group as well as the top seed for the Round of 16. Sao Paulo, meanwhile, only squeakedthrough on goal difference. A resurgent Ronaldinho has been leading Atletico’s bid to become South American champion for the first time.
The rest of the Round of 16bracket can be seen here. The first-leg of each series will be played next week, with the return-legs the following week.