The 2016–17 Argentine Primera División – Torneo de la Independencia was the 127th season of top-flight professional football in Argentina. The tournament was named in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Independence of Argentina.
The season began on 26 August 2016 and ended on 27 June 2017. Thirty teams competed in the league, twenty-nine returning from the 2016 season, and the addition of Talleres de Córdoba as the Primera B Nacional champion. Argentinos Juniors did not take part having been relegated the previous season.
Boca Juniors were crowned champions of Argentina for a 32nd time after rivals Banfield were beaten by San Lorenzo on 20 June 2017. As a result, Boca Juniors qualified for the 2018 Copa Libertadores and the 2017 Supercopa Argentina.
Competition format The tournament for the 2016 season was composed of 30 teams. Each team played the other 29 teams in a single round-robin tournament, and also played an additional match against its main rival team, named "Fecha de Clásicos" (Derbies Fixture)."Sin Superliga, conocé cómo será el próximo torneo", La Nación, 22 Jul 2016
Club information
Stadia and locations
ClubCityStadiumCapacityAldosivi Mar del Plata José María Minella 35,354Arsenal Sarandí Julio Humberto Grondona 16,300Atlético de Rafaela Rafaela Nuevo Monumental 16,000 Atlético Tucumán Tucumán Monumental José Fierro 32,700 Banfield Banfield Florencio Solá 34,901 BelgranoCórdoba Julio César Villagra 28,000 Mario Alberto Kempes 57,000Boca Juniors Buenos Aires Alberto J. Armando 49,000Colón Santa Fe Brigadier General Estanislao López 40,000 Defensa y Justicia Florencio Varela Norberto "Tito" Tomaghello 12,000Estudiantes (LP) La Plata Ciudad de La Plata 53,000 Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) La Plata Juan Carmelo Zerillo 24,544Godoy Cruz Godoy Cruz Malvinas Argentinas 40,268 Huracán Buenos Aires Tomás Adolfo Ducó 48,314 Independiente Avellaneda Libertadores de América 52,853Lanús Lanús Ciudad de Lanús - Néstor Díaz Pérez 46,619Newell's Old Boys Rosario Marcelo Bielsa 38,095 Olimpo Bahía Blanca Roberto Natalio Carminatti 20,000 Patronato Paraná Presbítero Bartolomé Grella 22,000Quilmes Quilmes Centenario 30,200Racing Avellaneda Presidente Perón 55,389River Plate Buenos Aires Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti 61,321 Rosario Central Rosario Dr. Lisandro de la Torre 41,654San Lorenzo Buenos Aires Pedro Bidegain 39,494San Martín (SJ) San Juan Ingeniero Hilario Sánchez 19,000 Estadio del Bicentenario 25,286 Sarmiento Junín Eva Perón 22,000 Talleres (C) Córdoba Mario Kempes 57,000Temperley Temperley Alfredo Beranger 13,800Tigre Victoria José Dellagiovanna 26,282Unión Santa Fe 15 de Abril 22,852Vélez Sarsfield Buenos Aires José Amalfitani 45,540
Personnel ClubManagerKit manufacturerMain sponsor Aldosivi Walter PerazzoKappaPCBOX Arsenal Humberto Grondona TBSLa Nueva Seguros Atlético de Rafaela Juan Manuel LlopReuschSanCor Atlético Tucumán Ricardo ZielinskiUmbroSecco Banfield Julio César FalcioniPenaltyPlan Chevrolet Belgrano Sebastián MéndezLottoTersuave Boca Juniors Guillermo Barros SchelottoNikeBBVA Colón Eduardo DomínguezUmbroAmarras Center Defensa y Justicia Sebastián BeccaceceLyonSeguros Orbis Estudiantes (LP) Leandro BenítezUmbroDirecTV Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) Leandro MartiniPenaltyLotería de la Provincia Godoy Cruz Lucas BernardiMacronCATA Internacional Huracán Juan Manuel AzconzábalTBSLa Nueva Seguros Independiente Ariel HolanPumaCorreo OCA Lanús Jorge AlmirónMacronYamaha Newell's Old Boys Juan Pablo VojvodaAdidasBanco Municipal Olimpo Mario SciacquaKappaBingo Bahía Patronato Rubén ForestelloLottoNuevo Banco de Entre Ríos Quilmes Cristian DíazLottoLa Nueva Seguros / Quilmes Racing Diego CoccaTopperRCA River Plate Marcelo GallardoAdidasBBVA Rosario Central Paolo MonteroNikeBanco Municipal San Lorenzo Diego AguirreNikeBanco Ciudad San Martín (SJ) Néstor GorositoMitreSan Juan Sarmiento Fernando QuirozPenaltyNaldo Talleres (C) Frank Darío KudelkaPenaltyBBVATemperley Gustavo ÁlvarezLyonSecco Tigre Ricardo Caruso LombardiKappaBanco Macro Unión Eduardo MagnínTBSOSPAT Vélez Sarsfield Omar De FelippeUmbroHitachi
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Pre-season changesIndependiente Fernando Berón Replaced May 21, 2016 Gabriel Milito May 22, 2016 Belgrano Ricardo Zielinski Mutual agreement May 25, 2016 Esteban González June 1, 2016 Sarmiento Ricardo Caruso Lombardi End of contract May 27, 2016 Gabriel Schürrer June 4, 2016 San Lorenzo Pablo Guede Resigned June 15, 2016 Diego Aguirre June 20, 2016Temperley Gustavo Álvarez Replaced June 15, 2016 Carlos Mayor June 15, 2016Colón Ricardo Johansen Replaced June 16, 2016 Paolo Montero June 16, 2016 Racing Facundo Sava Sacked August 16, 2016 Claudio Úbeda August 16, 2016 Tournament changes Racing Claudio Úbeda Replaced August 29, 2016 Ricardo Zielinski August 29, 2016 Vélez Sarsfield Christian Bassedas Resigned September 24, 2016 Omar De Felippe October 1, 2016 Huracán Eduardo Domínguez Resigned September 30, 2016 Ricardo Caruso Lombardi September 30, 2016Aldosivi Fernando Quiroz Sacked November 1, 2016 Darío Franco November 2, 2016 Sarmiento Gabriel Schürrer Mutual agreement November 1, 2016 Jorge Burruchaga November 9, 2016 Unión Leonardo Madelón Resigned November 1, 2016 Juan Pablo Pumpido November 2, 2016 Arsenal Sergio Rondina Resigned November 6, 2016 Lucas Bernardi November 8, 2016 Temperley Carlos Mayor Sacked November 8, 2016 Gustavo Álvarez November 8, 2016 Defensa y Justicia Ariel Holan Resigned November 14, 2016 Sebastián Beccacece November 15, 2016 Atlético Tucumán Juan Manuel Azconzábal Resigned November 19, 2016 Pablo Lavallén December 4, 2016 Belgrano Esteban González Mutual agreement November 20, 2016 Leonardo Madelón November 23, 2016 San Martín (SJ) Pablo Lavallén Mutual agreement November 28, 2016 Néstor Gorosito December 27, 2016 Huracán Ricardo Caruso Lombardi Resigned December 4, 2016 Juan Manuel Azconzábal December 17, 2016Olimpo Cristian Díaz Mutual agreement December 4, 2016 Mario Sciacqua December 23, 2016Godoy Cruz Sebastián Méndez Resigned December 16, 2016 Lucas Bernardi December 20, 2016Rosario Central Eduardo Coudet Resigned December 16, 2016 Paolo Montero January 3, 2017Independiente Gabriel Milito Resigned December 17, 2016 Ariel Holan December 29, 2016 Arsenal Lucas Bernardi Resigned December 18, 2016 Humberto Grondona December 23, 2016 Racing Ricardo Zielinski Resigned December 18, 2016 Diego Cocca December 22, 2016Colón Paolo Montero Resigned December 22, 2016 Eduardo Domínguez January 2, 2017 Sarmiento Jorge Burruchaga Resigned December 28, 2016 Fernando Quiroz January 4, 2017 Tigre Pedro Troglio Mutual agreement March 19, 2017 Facundo Sava March 26, 2017 Quilmes Alfredo Grelak Resigned April 1, 2017 Cristian Díaz April 5, 2017 Belgrano Leonardo Madelón Mutual agreement April 2, 2017 Sebastián Méndez April 3, 2017 Unión Juan Pablo Pumpido Resigned April 22, 2017 Pablo Marini April 29, 2017Aldosivi Darío Franco Resigned May 8, 2017 Walter Perazzo May 10, 2017 Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) Gustavo Alfaro Resigned May 13, 2017 Leandro Martini May 13, 2017Newell's Old Boys Diego Osella Resigned June 3, 2017 Juan Pablo Vojvoda June 4, 2017Tigre Facundo Sava Resigned June 3, 2017 Ricardo Caruso Lombardi June 5, 2017 Estudiantes (LP) Nelson Vivas Resigned June 12, 2017 Leandro Benítez June 14, 2017 Atlético Tucumán Pablo Lavallén Resigned June 20, 2017 Ricardo Zielinski June 22, 2017 Unión Pablo Marini Sacked June 23, 2017 Eduardo Magnín June 23, 2017
Interim Managers 1. Interim manager in the 1st round. 2. Alberto Fanesi was interim manager in the 5th round. 3. Juan Carlos Pires was interim manager in the 9th round. 4. Interim manager, but later promoted to manager. 5. Luciano Precone was interim manager in the 11th and 12th rounds. 6. Hugo Garelli was interim manager in the 12th–14th rounds. 7. Néstor Apuzzo was interim manager in the 13th and 14th rounds. 8. Juan Barbas was interim manager in the 13th and 14th rounds. 9. Leonardo Fernández was interim manager in the 14th round. 10. Fabián Castro was interim manager in the 17th round. 11. Leonardo Lemos was interim manager in the 19th round. 12. Eduardo Magnín was interim manager in the 22nd round. 13. Interim manager until the end of the tournament. 14. Diego Erroz was interim manager in the 29th round. 15. Interim manager in the 30th round.
League table
Results Teams play every other team once (either at home or away), and play one additional round against their local derby rival (or assigned match by AFA if a club doesn't have derby), completing a total of 30 rounds.
Season statistics
Top Goalscorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Darío BenedettoBoca Juniors212 Sebastián DriussiRiver Plate173 José SandLanús154 Mariano PavoneVélez Sarsfield135 Lucas AlarioRiver Plate12 Carlos LunaTigre Ignacio ScoccoNewell's Old Boys8 Nicolás BlandiSan Lorenzo11 Emiliano RigoniIndependiente Fernando ZampedriAtlético Tucumán Source: AFA
Top assists RankPlayerClubAssists1 Marcos AcuñaRacing132 Cristian PavónBoca Juniors93 Agustín BouzatDefensa y Justicia7 Rodrigo CaballuciOlimpo Mauro FormicaNewell's Old Boys6 Lautaro AcostaLanús6 Gonzalo MartínezRiver Plate Alejandro SilvaLanús Carlos TevezBoca Juniors Source: AFA
Awards Individual awards Award Player Club Olimpia Award – Domestic Football Darío Benedetto Boca Juniors Premio Alumni – Player of the Year Lautaro Acosta Lanús Premio Alumni – Coach of the Year Guillermo Barros Schelotto Boca Juniors RSSSF Argentine Footballer of the Year Darío Benedetto Boca Juniors Team of the YearGoalkeeper Martín Campaña (Independiente)Defenders Nicolás Tagliafico (Independiente) Jonathan Schunke (Estudiantes) Germán Conti (Colón) Gino Peruzzi (Boca Juniors)Midfielders Marcos Acuña (Racing Club) Fernando Belluschi (San Lorenzo) Ignacio Fernández (River Plate) Cristian Pavon (Boca Juniors)Forwards Sebastián Driussi (River Plate) Darío Benedetto (Boca Juniors)
Relegation Relegation at the end of the season is based on coefficients, which take into consideration the points obtained by the clubs during the present season and the three previous seasons (only seasons at the top-flight are counted). The total tally is then divided by the total number of games played in the top flight on those four seasons and an average is calculated. The four teams with the worst average at the end of the season are relegated to Primera B Nacional.
Team Relegation 1Boca Juniors 31 64 20 63 178 95 2Racing 41 57 24 55 177 95 3San Lorenzo 26 61 34 53 174 95 4Estudiantes (LP) 31 51 32 56 170 95 5Independiente 33 54 27 53 167 95 6Lanús 35 42 38 50 165 95 7River Plate 39 49 18 56 162 95 8Rosario Central 21 59 20 44 144 95 9Banfield 20 50 15 54 139 95 10Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) 24 44 25 43 136 95 11Talleres (C) — — — 42 42 30 12Atlético Tucumán — — 30 33 63 46 13Newell's Old Boys 25 40 16 49 130 95 14Godoy Cruz 21 32 33 43 129 95 15Defensa y Justicia 20 32 25 49 126 95 16Colón — 34 17 49 100 76 17Tigre 26 46 20 31 123 95 18Unión — 41 22 32 95 76 19Belgrano 25 51 16 26 118 95 20San Martín (SJ) — 37 23 33 93 76 21Vélez Sarsfield 25 29 24 37 115 95 22Patronato — — 20 34 54 46 23Arsenal 26 27 27 27 107 95 24Olimpo 19 36 13 38 106 95 25Huracán — 30 25 29 84 76 26Temperley — 30 16 37 83 76 27Aldosivi (R) — 40 17 25 82 76 Primera B Nacional 28Quilmes (R) 12 45 15 25 97 95 29Atlético de Rafaela (R) 25 23 9 37 94 95 30Sarmiento (R) — 30 17 28 75 76 Source: AFA
See also 2016–17 Primera B Nacional 2015–16 Copa Argentina 2016–17 Copa Argentina
References