RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Defending champions Sao Paulo will not be thinking of revenge when they face Guadalajara in the first leg of Wednesday's Libertadores Cup semi-final.

The Brazilians, who make the long trip north to face the Mexicans at the Jalisco stadium, lost at home and away to the same opponents during the group stage.

Guadalajara won both ties 2-1, and in doing so ended Sao Paulo's 19-year unbeaten home record in the competition. "There's no sentiment of revenge," said Sao Paulo's fiery coach Muricy Ramalho. "We have to play football and it will be a great game. We have conviction in our potential."

Ramalho also promised no excuses after the logistical problems which have hampered Sao Paulo's preparations and which are a frequent feature in the South American equivalent of the Champions League.

Three-times champions Sao Paulo, the only one of the semi-finalists to have won the title previously, found all scheduled flights to Mexico booked up and had to charter their own plane instead.

They were only due to arrive in Guadalajara after an 11-hour flight early on Tuesday morning, less than 36 hours before kickoff.

"We're going on a charter flight, we're staying in the best hotel, everything is top of the line," said Ramalho. "We have to get the result." ========== Lugano back

Uruguayan defender Diego Lugano returns for Sao Paulo after missing last week's tie against Estudiantes de La Plata through suspension.

Guadalajara, the only Mexican team not to field foreigners, will be missing defender Diego Martinez after he was sent off against Velez Sarsfield on Thursday.

Brazil are also involved in the other semi-final with Internacional traveling to Paraguay to face Libertad, the surprise package of the tournament.

Libertad, who are used to living in the shadow of their more powerful neighbors Olimpia and Cerro Porteno, comprehensively beat Argentina's River Plate in the quarter-finals.

Despite their status as underdogs, they have played some of the best football in the competition. "The dream of winning the Libertadores is gaining strength among the squad day by day," said veteran defender Pedro Sarabia. "This is a very special moment for us."

Libertad have already paid a price for their success. Goalkeeper Aldo Bobadilla, who played for Paraguay at the World Cup, left Libertad after the quarter-finals to join Argentina's Boca Juniors. He will be replaced by understudy Hector Gonzalez.

Their Argentine coach Gerardo Martino is being chased by both Boca and the Paraguayan national team.