Players come and players go - especially in South America, where the constant selling means that teams are constantly rebuilding. Even so, it is still possible for clubs to preserve an identity, with lasting characteristics.
Take Olimpia of Paraguay, currently contesting the final of the Copa Libertadores with Atletico Mineiro of Brazil. There really should only be one winner. Olimpia's entire wage bill would struggle to pay Ronaldinho, Atletico's star - let alone a supporting cast which includes new sensation Bernard, Jo from the Confederations Cup squad, former World Cup winner Gilberto Silva and a number of other big names.
In financial terms it should be a walkover, especially as Olimpia are deep in crisis. Their players recently went months without being paid, and they were forced to sell captain and best player Richard Ortiz before the Libertadores semi-finals in order to receive a short-term injection of cash.
Before the tournament no-one gave Olimpia a hope. Of Paraguay's three sides, they looked by some distance the weakest. Libertad, quarter-finalists in each of the previous three years, looked far stronger - and started off like a train before suddenly imploding.
Cerro Porteno appeared to have a squad every bit as impressive as the one which reached the 2011 semi-finals - but they started badly and got worse. Olimpia had done nothing in the competition for a decade. Their domestic form was average - they had to go through the qualifying round to make it to the group phase. There was no indication that they could be title challengers.
But there is one thing the club possesses in spades - tradition. They have won the Libertadores three times - only four clubs have more titles to their name. It gives them a certain mystique.
Take Olimpia of Paraguay, currently contesting the final of the Copa Libertadores with Atletico Mineiro of Brazil. There really should only be one winner. Olimpia's entire wage bill would struggle to pay Ronaldinho, Atletico's star - let alone a supporting cast which includes new sensation Bernard, Jo from the Confederations Cup squad, former World Cup winner Gilberto Silva and a number of other big names.
In financial terms it should be a walkover, especially as Olimpia are deep in crisis. Their players recently went months without being paid, and they were forced to sell captain and best player Richard Ortiz before the Libertadores semi-finals in order to receive a short-term injection of cash.
Before the tournament no-one gave Olimpia a hope. Of Paraguay's three sides, they looked by some distance the weakest. Libertad, quarter-finalists in each of the previous three years, looked far stronger - and started off like a train before suddenly imploding.
Cerro Porteno appeared to have a squad every bit as impressive as the one which reached the 2011 semi-finals - but they started badly and got worse. Olimpia had done nothing in the competition for a decade. Their domestic form was average - they had to go through the qualifying round to make it to the group phase. There was no indication that they could be title challengers.
But there is one thing the club possesses in spades - tradition. They have won the Libertadores three times - only four clubs have more titles to their name. It gives them a certain mystique.