The First Stage of the 2008 Copa Santander Libertadores began on January 29 and ended on February 12. Twelve teams qualified directly on this stage.
Team #1 played the second leg at home.[1]
| Teams | Scores | Tie-breakers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team #1 | Points | Team #2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg | GD | AG | Pen. |
Lanús 
|
3:1 |  Olmedo
|
0–1 | 3–0 | +2:−2 | — | — |
Cerro Porteño 
|
3:6 |  Cruzeiro
|
1–3 | 2–3 | — | — | — |
Mineros de Guayana 
|
2:3 | Arsenal
|
0–2 | 2–1 | −1:+1 | — | — |
La Paz 
|
1:2 |  Atlas
|
0–2 | 1–0 | −1:+1 | — | — |
Montevideo Wanderers 
|
0:1 |  Cienciano
|
0–1 | 0–0 | — | — | — |
Audax Italiano 
|
4:4 |  Boyacá Chicó
|
3–4 | 1–0 | 0:0 | 3:0 | — |
| Olmedo | 1–0 | Lanús |
|---|---|---|
Quiñónez  70' |
Report |
Attendance: 4,036
Referee: Víctor Hugo Rivera (Peru)
| Cruzeiro | 3–1 | Cerro Porteño |
|---|---|---|
| Ramires 40', 89' Moreno 55' |
Report | Cabrera 74' (pen.) |
Attendance: 38,885
Referee: Jorge Larrionda (Uruguay)
| Arsenal | 2–0 | Mineros de Guayana |
|---|---|---|
| Calderón 41' Leguizamón 78' |
Report |
Attendance: 2,431
Referee: Enrique Osses (Chile)
| Atlas | 2–0 | La Paz |
|---|---|---|
| Mendevil 6' Rergis 72' |
Report |
Attendance: 21,595
Referee: Georges Buckley (Peru)
| Cienciano | 1–0 | Montevideo Wanderers |
|---|---|---|
| Sawa 12' |
Report |
Attendance: 21,661
Referee: Carlos Vera (Ecuador)
| Boyacá Chicó | 4–3 | Audax Italiano |
|---|---|---|
| Salazar 8', 90' Pacheco 37'Caneo 76' |
Report | Ntamak 1' (o.g.) Villanueva 21'Orellana 60' |
Attendance: 1,161
Referee: Juan Soto (Venezuela)
| Lanús | 3–0 | Olmedo |
|---|---|---|
| Fritzler 57' Biglieri 77'Velázquez 83' |
Report |
Attendance: 8,241
Referee: Heber Lopes (Brazil)
Lanús and Olmedo tied 3–3 on points. Lanús advanced on goal difference.
| Cerro Porteño | 2–3 | Cruzeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Álvarez 43', 64' |
Report | Thiago Heleno 5' Moreno 53' (pen.)Ramires 57' |
Attendance: 12,021
Referee: Carlos Chandía (Chile
Cruzeiro advanced 6–0 on points.
| Mineros de Guayana | 2–1 | Arsenal |
|---|---|---|
| Pereira 45' (pen.) Dos Santos 58' |
Report | Calderón 46' |
Attendance: 3,834
Referee: Leonardo Gaciba (Brazil)
Mineros de Guayana and Arsenal tied 3–3 on points. Arsenal advanced on goal difference.
| La Paz | 1–0 | Atlas |
|---|---|---|
| Clavijo 50' |
Report |
Referee: Antonio Arias (Paraguay)
La Paz and Atlas tied 3–3 on points. Atlas advanced on goal difference.
| Montevideo Wanderers | 0–0 | Cienciano |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Attendance: 3,615
Referee: Federico Beligoy (Argentina)
Cienciano advanced 4–1 on points.
| Audax Italiano | 1–0 | Boyacá Chicó |
|---|---|---|
| Broli 80' |
Report |
Attendance: 2,327
Referee: Óscar Maldonado (Bolivia)
Boyacá Chicó and Audax Italiano tied 3–3 on points. Audax Italiano advanced on away goals.
