The Copa Libertadores got underway on Tuesday evening as the group stages finally began but it wasn’t a night of excitement for Argentine clubs as Boca Juniors, San Lorenzo and Godoy Cruz all kicked off with goalless draws.

Last year’s beaten finalists Boca are hoping to go one better this time round and just like in 2018 it began with a stalemate on the road. A potentially tricky journey to Bolivia to play Jorge Wilstermann was first up for Boca and a pretty poor goalless draw was played out. Manager Gustavo Alfaro is aware of the improvements that his side need to make and next week’s match against Deportes Tolima at La Bombonera will be vital.

And Boca were not alone in failing to impress. San Lorenzo sit bottom of the Superliga, are without a win in 14 and manager Jorge Almirón is still yet to earn a victory as manager with pressure increasingly mounting. Success in the Copa Libertadores is of great importance and while it was yet another blank in front of goal, there are perhaps positives to take from a goalless draw against Melgar in Peru. However, only if El Ciclón can pick up form back at in Bajo Flores. Talented Colombian side Junior visit the Nuevo Gasómetro next week.

San Lorenzo are certainly not at the level they were when qualifying for the Copa Libertadores in early 2018 and Godoy Cruz are also a shadow of the side that saw them book a spot. Lucas Bernardi made his return to the club as manager and it ended in a goalless draw with Paraguayan club Olimpia. El Tomba’s domestic form has dipped since running Boca close in the 2017/18 season but there are question over whether Bernardi is the man to spark a revival – the 41-year-old was in charge in Mendoza in 2016, one of his six brief, underwhelming jobs in his less than four-year managerial career.

Jorge Wilstermann  0 – 0  Boca Juniors

🎥👌¡Lo mejor del empate entre @WilstermannCD y @BocaJrsOficial en el debut en la #CONMEBOLLibertadores 2019! pic.twitter.com/rh11R0NC42

— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) March 6, 2019

Godoy Cruz  0 – 0  Olimpia

🎥 ¡Para volver a ver! Lo mejor del empate sin goles entre @ClubGodoyCruz y @elClubOlimpia por la primera fecha del Grupo C de la #CONMEBOLLibertadores. pic.twitter.com/LN1NpjPueS

— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) March 6, 2019

Melgar  0 – 0  San Lorenzo

🇵🇪🇦🇷 ¡Sin goles, pero con muchas situaciones!

👌 Lo mejor de @MelgarOficial vs. @SanLorenzo, de la primera fecha de la fase de grupos de la #CONMEBOLLibertadores pic.twitter.com/QNSWoxgv4Z

— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) March 6, 2019