| 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) |
| Top scorer | Carlos Caszely (9 goals) |
←1972 1974 → | |
Copa Libertadores 1973 was won by defending championsIndependiente ofArgentina after defeatingColo Colo ofChile 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. Their second consecutive title made Independiente the first team in the tournament's history to win four titles.
The Venezuelan club teamsDeportivo Italia andDeportivo Galicia did not participate in the Copa Libertadores due to internal problems with theVenezuelan Football Federation.
The champions and runners-up of each football association were drawn into the same group along with another football association's participating teams. Three clubs from Argentina competed asIndependiente was champion of the1972 Copa Libertadores. They entered the tournament in the Semifinals.
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 | Group 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | SLO |  WIL | RIV | ORI | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Lorenzo | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 1 | +14 | 10 | Semifinals | — | 3–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | |
| 2 | Jorge Wilstermann | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 7 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | ||
| 3 | River Plate | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 5 | 0–4 | 2–2 | — | 7–1 | ||
| 4 | Oriente Petrolero | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 19 | −14 | 2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |  BOT | PAL |  NAC | PEÑ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Botafogo | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 9 | +6 | 9 | Semifinals | — | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | |
| 2 | Palmeiras | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 9 | 3–2 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | ||
| 3 | Nacional | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | −1 | 4 | 1–2 | 1–2 | — | 2–0 | ||
| 4 | Peñarol | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 13 | −9 | 2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | COL |  EME | NAC | UES | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colo-Colo | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 4 | +12 | 8 | Semifinals | — | 5–1 | 5–1 | 5–0 | |
| 2 | Emelec | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 7 | 1–0 | — | 2–0 | 1–0 | ||
| 3 | El Nacional | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 5 | 1–1 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | ||
| 4 | Unión Española | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 4 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | — |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |  MIL | CAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Millonarios | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 3 | Semifinals | — | 6–2 | |
| 2 | Deportivo Cali | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 1 | 0–0 | — |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |  CER | OLI |  SCR | UNI | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cerro Porteño | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 | +9 | 9 | Semifinals | — | 4–2 | 5–0 | 1–0 | |
| 2 | Olimpia | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 2–1 | — | 1–0 | 3–1 | ||
| 3 | Sporting Cristal | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 6 | 1–1 | 1–0 | — | 2–2 | ||
| 4 | Universitario | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | — |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | IND | SLO | MIL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Independiente | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 5 | Qualified to theFinal | — | 1–0 | 2–0 | |
| 2 | San Lorenzo | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 | 2–2 | — | 2–0 | ||
| 3 | Millonarios | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | — |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | COL | CER | BOT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colo-Colo | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 5 | Qualified to theFinal | — | 4–0 | 3–3 | |
| 2 | Cerro Porteño | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 9 | −1 | 4 | 5–1 | — | 3–2 | ||
| 3 | Botafogo | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 1–2 | 2–0 | — |
vColo-Colo| 22 May 1973 | Independiente | 1–1 | Colo-Colo | Avellaneda |
vIndependiente| 29 May 1973 | Colo-Colo | 0–0 | Independiente | Santiago |
vColo-Colo| 6 June 1973 | Independiente | 2–1 | Colo-Colo | Montevideo |
| Copa Libertadores 1973 Winners |
|---|
 Independiente Fourth Title |
