South America's clubs set out on the road to the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008 this week as the first phase of the 49th Copa Libertadores kicks off. Five first-leg matches will be played between Tuesday and Thursday and the reward for the survivors is a place in the group phase, which starts on 12 February.

Cruzeiro looking for title No3
Making their return to the competition after a three-year sabbatical are Cruzeiro of Brazil, Copa Libertadores winners back in 1976 and 1997. But the men from Belo Horizonte will not have an easy re-introduction to continental hostilities when they take on Cerro Porteno of Paraguay in an awkward-looking tie. Even so Adilson Batista's side tuned up nicely for Wednesday's first leg at home by thrashing Uberaba 4-0 at the weekend.

"We're hoping for the fans to give the players a real lift," said the Cruzeiro coach. "We're in just the right shape for taking on a big team. Cerro Porteno are tough opponents but this is an important tournament for us and we want to stay in it." Batista is right to take the Paraguayans seriously. El Ciclón, coached by Javier Torrente, are gearing up for their fourth consecutive Copa appearance and are determined to make their stay in the competition a long one. Awaiting the winners of the tie is a Group 1 spot alongside San Lorenzo of Argentina, Venezuelan outfit Caracas and Real Potosi of Bolivia.

Elsewhere
Thursday will see newly crowned Argentinian Apertura champions Lanus take a trip to face Olmedo of Ecuador. Ramon Cabrero has managed to keep together the side that won the Granates' first ever league title last December and now has designs on carving out a niche in the continental elite.

Another Argentinian side to taste silverware recently is Arsenal de Sarandi, who won the 2007 Copa Sudamericana at the end of last year. El Arse are now looking to follow that success up with an even greater achievement, but to do so they will need to get off on the right foot against Venezuela's Mineros in Buenos Aires on Tuesday evening.

Mexican representatives Atlas step out the following day and are widely tipped to maintain their country's solid record in international club competitions by putting in a good campaign. Coached by the Argentinian Miguel Brindisi, Atlas picked up a morale-boosting league win over Veracruz last Friday and will be banking on the experience of Bruno Marioni and Co to earn a comfortable first-leg advantage over La Paz FC ahead of next week's return fixture in the Bolivian capital.

In the final game of the week Cienciano of Peru entertain Uruguay's Montevideo Wanderers on Thursday. The remaining first-phase contenders, Colombia's Chico FC and Audax Italiano of Chile, get to grips with each other on 7 February.

This week's first-leg fixtures:

Tuesday 29
Arsenal (ARG) - Mineros (VEN)

Wednesday 30
Cruzeiro (BRA) - Cerro Porteno (PAR)
Atlas (MEX) - La Paz FC (BOL)

Thursday 31
Olmedo (ECU) - Lanus (ARG)
Cienciano (PER) - Montevideo Wanderers (URU)

* Second legs to be played in the first week of February.