Down South: Previewing the Copa Libertadores' qualifying round

The Copa Libertadores - South America's equivalent of the Champions League and the continent's most distinguished competition - is back.

On Tuesday, the 57th edition of the Copa Libertadores will kick off in Buenos Aires, as Club Atletico Huracan welcomes Caracas FC in the first leg of one of the qualifying round's six ties.

There's arguably no tournament on the planet that features such intensity or entertainment. Some people argue it's better than the Champions League. However, as Tim Vickery once wrote for BBC Sport, such a view is perverse and "often motivated by bitterness - a bit like those who like to claim that The Beatles were overrated."

That may very well be the case, but upon comparing the Copa Libertadores and the Champions League, the former offers a level of unpredictability that the latter simply can't match. Any number of clubs are capable of capturing the South American throne, but in Europe, the only contenders are FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and, arguably, Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, the 12 clubs vying for a place in the Copa Libertadores' group stage are aware that each of them could very well make a deep run.

With that in mind, here's a preview of the qualifying round's six ties:

Oriente Petrolero vs. Independiente Santa Fe

On paper, the encounter between Oriente Petrolero, a Bolivian club founded by workers of an oil company, and Independiente Santa Fe, the champion of last year's Copa Sudamericana, isn't the most alluring.

What makes the tie intriguing, though, is how both clubs go against the stereotypes of their respective country's football. Bolivian teams are normally associated with playing at altitude, but Oriente Petrolero plays in a tropical climate similar to that of Colombia's that's just over 400 metres above sea level, while Santa Fe takes the pitch in Bogota, 2,640 metres above sea level.

Club Atletico Huracan vs. Caracas FC

The tie that'll get the Copa Libertadores rolling, Club Atletico Huracan's clash versus Caracas FC should present the club from Buenos Aires with a good chance of booking its place in the group stage.

Not only is Huracan among the best clubs when it comes to playing at home in the Copa Libertadores ...

... but Venezuelan teams are normally a sure bet for an early exit in the competition. That said, Caracas FC has the honour of being the only side from its country to escape Argentina with three points.

Puebla FC vs. Racing Club de Avellaneda

In what's undoubtedly the tie surrounded by the most hype, Puebla FC and Racing Club de Avellanada will battle to be among the Copa Libertadores' last 32 clubs.

Not only do Puebla and Racing hail from the same countries that produced the finalists for last year's Copa Libertadores final, but the clubs are separated by 14,600 kilometres, meaning they'll take an exhausting round-trip flight.

Puebla may have a slight edge, as Mexico's Liga MX is already underway and the club has some fixtures under its belt, while Argentina's Primera Division has yet to start. Furthermore, Racing will be without 'keeper Sebastian Saja and defender Luciano Lollo, who are suspended and injured, respectively. Lisandro Lopez, whose return to his boyhood club was among the January transfer window's most notable signings in South America, is also injured.

Club Atletico River Plate vs. Club Universidad de Chile

Club Atletico River Plate, a club from Uruguay that shares its name with the Copa Libertadores' reigning champion, is making its debut in the competition, while Club Universidad de Chile is a regular face in the tournament.

There can be no denying that a massive disparity exists between the clubs, and Universidad - another team that should benefit from its domestic league already being in full swing - will be looking to continue the trend of Chilean outfits in the Copa Libertadores' qualifying stage. Specifically, they've had eight successes and two failures in the first stage over the years.

Independiente del Valle vs. Guarani FC

Independiente del Valle versus Guarani FC is yet another tie that doesn't exactly jump out at the neutral supporter.

Independiente, an Ecuadorian club from the outskirts of Quito, has taken giant strides in recent years due to its phenomenal youth policy and stadium that's situated at a high altitude. Eliminating Guarani, one of Paraguay's top teams, and progressing to the Copa Libertadores' group stage would mark another step in its meteoric rise.

Club Deportivo Universidad Cesar Vallejo vs. Sao Paulo FC

Club Deportivo Universidad Cesar Vallejo, from northern Peru, drew the short stick and was pitted against Sao Paulo, one of South America's largest clubs and the overwhelming favourite to progress.

Sao Paulo hopes to benefit from its appointment of Edgardo Bauza, an Argentinian manager who's beloved at almost every club he's managed and is known as "El Paton." Bauza guided Liga Deportivo Universitaria de Quito to its first-ever Copa Libertadores title in 2008 and won the competition again with San Lorenzo de Almagro in 2014.