Tim Vickery column

By Tim Vickery South American football reporter

Read my answers to this week's questions

Barcelona carried it off in style in the Champions League last week, Sporting Lisbon, Werder Bremen and PSV all managed it in the Uefa Cup - but in South America's Copa Libertadores, winning away from home is proving more difficult.

Thiago Neves (centre) and his Fluminense side struggled at the altitude of Ecuador's LDU stadium

After the first two weeks of group matches in the continent's Champions League equivalent, the 18 matches have yielded 10 wins for the home side and just two for the away team, with a goal difference of 23-7.

Throw in the results from the tournament's brief qualifying round and the trend shows up once more; 20 home wins and three away in 30 matches, with 45 goals scored by the hosts and 15 by the visitors.

This is a pattern that consistently holds true for international matches in South America, involving both clubs and national teams.

Comparing the Champions League with the Libertadores, or World Cup qualifiers on either side of the Atlantic, it emerges that away wins are twice as common in Europe as they are in South America.

There are some fairly obvious explanations for this fact; South America is huge, so journeys for the away side can be long and tiring.

There is an enormous variety of climatic conditions to be dealt with, and these challenges take place in environments that can be very hostile.

In some countries, notably Colombia, the visiting player can only take a corner protected by a phalanx of riot police holding up their shields to protect him from objects thrown from the stands.

Brazilian side Fluminense were not defeated last week in the opening fixture of their Libertadores campaign.

But, on their return to the competition after 23 years they soon found out that life on the road can be problematic.

They were away to LDU of Ecuador, some 2,800 metres above sea level at Quito.

There is no doubt that playing at altitude is a trial for visitors unaccustomed to such conditions, and Brazilian teams seem to be especially uncomfortable in the mountain air.

The referee was clearly scared to give such an important decision against the home side

But despite Brazilian protests, efforts to ban football at altitude would seem doomed to failure - firstly because it goes against the grain of the current political movement towards South American integration.

But also because while altitude clearly gives a sporting advantage, the evidence that it represents a health risk is flimsy - especially when placed alongside the dangers of playing at extreme temperatures, which the Brazilian clubs seem happy to do in their domestic matches.

So the Brazilians are likely to have to go on putting up with playing at altitude.

Certainly Fluminense found it hard work last Wednesday at Quito, especially in the first half.

LDU had them under constant pressure - the possession statistics at the interval were something like 75%-25% in favour of the Ecuadorians.

But they couldn't score. The ball hit the post, the keeper made some good saves, chances were wasted, and though Fluminense could hardly have complained if they went in three goals down, the half time score was 0-0.

After the break LDU fretted. Wanting to take full profit from their home advantage, they over-reached in search of a goal - and left themselves ludicrously open to the counter-attack.

On one such occasion Fluminense's Thiago Neves bore down on goal, with only Cevallos, Ecuador's 2002 World Cup keeper, to beat.

Cevallos rushed out of his area, and blocked the goal-bound shot with his arm. A last man foul - an automatic red card.

Except that he got away with a yellow. The referee was clearly scared to give such an important decision against the home side.

So this was another Libertadores game that was destined not to end in an away win.

LDU pressed to the end, but it finished goalless, a scoreline that might leave Fluminense feeling simultaneously relieved and outraged, and in no doubt as to the difficulties of winning away in South America.

You can put your questions to Tim Vickery every week on the World Football Phone-in on Radio 5 Live's Up All Night programme from 0230 to 0400 GMT every Saturday. You can also download last week's World Football Phone-in Podcast.

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YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Got a question about South American football for Tim Vickery? Email him at [e-mail]

What's your opinion about a large number of clubs in Brazil having a chance of taking the national championship? Does it show Brazilian football is competitive or a sign that team management is so incompetent that after a few years every club goes through a particularly poor phase??

Pedro Franco, Rio de Janeiro

I think it's a contradictory sign, both positive and negative. The fact that the Brazilian Championship is so open is indeed a reflection of the strength in depth of the country's football - evidence that, as you'd expect in a giant country with such a strong footballing culture, there are lots of big teams.

But it also shows the financial weakness of the football industry - the amount of money that the clubs make from ticket sales is very low, for example, so football ends up with an excessive dependence on TV money, and also, crucially, a dependence on selling players.

Even the biggest clubs are selling every year - in fact the most successful are the ones with the most astute sales policy.

So the teams are in a constant state of transition, and this clearly makes it harder for a Premier League style 'big four' to break away from the pack.

I was recently at a conference of coaches in Brazil where the issue of planning was being discussed.

Corinthians boss Mano Menezes was emphatic. "The likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger can do planning," he said. "What we do is run around dealing with day-to-day necessities."

I've seen some excellent clips recently of a young Brazilian player called Lulinha. Could you update me on how he is progressing, and whether it is likely that we will see more of him in the near future?

Matthew Howcroft

He starred for Brazil last year in the South American Under-17 Championships, giving a master class in controlled finishing from his position in attacking midfield.

He was pitched into Corinthians' unsuccessful fight against relegation, and it was all too soon.

Lulinha looked lightweight, was choosing his options badly and snatching at his shots, and he had the good sense to confess that he hadn't done much to deserve all the attention he was getting linking him to European clubs.

He's just started scoring goals now, and he's certainly one to look out for, though for his own sake I hope he stays in South America for another couple of years.