The 2018–19 Liga Primera de Nicaragua season was divided into two tournaments (Apertura and Clausura) and determined the 71st and 72nd champions in the history of the Liga Primera de Nicaragua, the top division of football in Nicaragua. The Apertura tournament was played in the second half of 2018, while the Clausura was played in the first half of 2019.
Format The Apertura play-off format was changed from previous years, while the Clausura will use the same 4-team play-off format. For the Apertura, the top four teams from the regular stage advanced to a "quadrangular" double-round robin instead of a play-off stage. The regular stage and quadrangular winners would have played to decide the tournament's champion, but ultimately the same team won both and the final was not necessary. The same format was recently adopted by the Costa Rican Primera División, but for both half seasons.
Team information
A total of ten teams contested the league, including eight sides from the 2017–18 Primera División, and two sides from the 2017–18 Segunda División.
FC San Francisco Masachapa finished last in the aggregate table and were relegated to the Segunda División. The champions from the Segunda División, ART Municipal Jalapa were promoted in their place.
The 9th place team in the aggregate table, Chinandega FC, faced the second place team from the Segunda División, Deportivo Sebaco, in a playoff for a spot in the Primera División. However, due to Sebaco's financial problems, they were not allowed in the playoff, meaning Chinandega remained in Primera División.
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from Segunda División as of July, 2018.
Champions: ART Municipal Jalapa
Relegated to Segunda División as of July, 2018.
Last Place: FC San Francisco Masachapa
Managerial changes Before the start of the season
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table Walter Ferretti Flavio da Silva Resigned June 2018 Henry Urbina June 29, 2018 3rd & Semifinalist (Clausura 2018) Real Esteli Ramon Otenel Contract finished June 2018 Washington Fernando Araújo July 22, 2018 4th & Quarterfinalist (Clausura 2018) Juventus Managua Héctor Mediana Resigned June 2018 Roberto Chanampe July 2018 3rd & Semifinalist (Clausura 2018) Ocotal Randall Moreno Resigned June 2018 Jorge Luis Vanegas July 2018 TBD (Clausura 2018) Real Madriz Tyrone Acevedo Resigned June 2018 Carlos Matamoros July 2018 TBD (Clausura 2018)
During the Apertura season
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureReplaced byPosition in table Real Madriz Carlos Matamoros TBD 2018 Miguel Ángel Sánchez 2018 TBD (Apertura 2018)
Between Apertura and Clausura seasons
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table Ocotal Jorge Luis Vangeas Sacked December 2018 Mario Alfaro December 2018 9th (Apertura 2018) Real Esteli Washington Fernando Araújo Resigned December 2018 Sergio Ivan Rodríguez December 2018 2nd & finalist (Apertura 2018) Real Madriz Miguel Ángel Sánchez Resigned December 2018 Sindulio Castellanos January 2019 7th (Apertura 2018) UNAN Managua Luis Vega resigned December 2018 Daniel García January 2019
Clausura 2019 seasons
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table Real Madriz Sindulio Castellanos Sacked February 2019 Angel Orellana February 2019 9th (Clausura 2019)
Apertura
Personnel and sponsoring Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Kit sponsors Leonidas Rodríguez Victor Zavala Joma Agrotris Reyna Espinoza Lester Espinoza Nil Nil Mauricio Cruz Jason Coronel Joma Claro, Ocal, Victoria frost Roberto Chanampe Darwin Guity TBD TBD Emilio Aburto Erling Méndez Nil Nil Jorge Luis Vanegas Guillermo Espino Nil Alcadia Ocotal Washington Fernando Araújo Jason Casco Kappa Beco, Movistar, La Curaçao, Banpro, Vitalsis Carlos Matamoros x Alvaro Bermúdez TBD Alcadia Somoto Luis Vega Marvin Fletes Joma Nil Henry Urbina René Huete Umbro Claro, Iniser, Disnorte Dissur
Standings
Results
Records Top goalscorers No. Player Club Goals 1 Lucas Dos Santos Managua 15 2 Luis Coronel Diriangén 11 3 Yeiner Vivas Chinandega 10 4 Luis Galeano Real Esteli 8 5 Bruno De Morais Walter Ferretti 7 6 Marcos Rivera TBD 5 7 Isaac Sequeira TBD 5 8 Edward Morillo Managua 5 9 Ulises Rayo TBD 5 10 Marlon Barrios Real Madriz 5
Playoffs Quarterfinals
Juventus Managua progressed.
Diriangén progressed.
Semifinals
TBD wins on away goals
First leg
Second leg
Real Esteli won 7-3 on aggregate.
Managua won 4-1 on aggregate.
Final First leg
Second leg
Managua won 1-0 on aggregate.
Clausura
Personnel and sponsoring Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Kit Sponsors Leonidas Rodríguez TBD TBD Agrotris Reyna Espinoza Lester Espinoza Nil Nil Mauricio Cruz Carlos Torres Joma Claro, Victoria Frost, Babysec, Sinsa, OCAL, Kelloggs, Flor de Cana Roberto Chanampe Alexis Somarriba Nil Nil Emilio Aburto Christiano Fernández Nil Managua FC Mario Alfaro Marcos Rivera Nil Alcadia de Ocotal Sergio Ivan Rodríguez Manuel Rosas Kappa Movistar, La Curaco, Beco, Vitalsis Health, Banco de la Producción Sindulio Castellanos Alvaro Bermúdez Nil Alcadia de Madriz Daniel García Diedrich Téllez Joma Nil Henry Urbina Denis Espinoza Umbro Claro, Iniser, Disnorte Dissur, Flor de Cana
Standings
Results
Records Top goalscorers No. Player Club Goals 1 Edward Morillo Managua F.C. 17 2 Lucas Oliveira Managua F.C. 16 3 Douglas Caé Real Esteli 12 4 Robinson Luiz Juventus Managua 10 5 Yeison Esquivel Diriangén FC 8 6 Ervin Aguirre Deportivo Ocotal 7 7 Luis Coronel Diriangén FC 7 8 Jafett Del Portillo ART Municipal Jalapa 7 9 Aaron Chavez UNAN Managua 6 10 Junior Arteaga Juventus Managua 5
Playoffs
Quarterfinals
Walter Ferretti progressed.
Diriangén progressed.
Semifinals
First leg
Second leg
Real Esteli progressed 3-1 on aggregate.
Managua F.C. advances 1-0 on away goals.
Final First leg
Second leg
3-3, Real Esteli won on away goal.
Aggregate table
List of foreign players in the league This is a list of foreign players in the 2018–19 season. The following players:
Have played at least one game for the respective club. Have not been capped for the Nicaragua national football team on any level, independently from the birthplace
A new rule was introduced this season, that clubs can have four foreign players per club and can only add a new player if there is an injury or a player/s is released and it is before the close of the season transfer window.
ART Jalapa Cristhian Cabria Evaristo González Erwin Cabrera Alexis Hernández Jafet Del Portillo Chinandega Johan Hurtado Brayan Cañate Richard Charris Yeiner Vivas José Mendoza Diriangén Pedro Dos Santos Carlos Tórres Yeison Esquivel Juan Pablo Fernández Jesús Cervantes Dahan Virgen Juventus Managua Darwin Guity Herbert Cabrera David Castrillón Robinson Luiz Yeison Díaz Ezequiel Góngora Managua Marel Álvarez Lucas Dos Santos Cristiano Fernández da Lima Edward Morillo Ocotal Aldair Niño Jafet Del Portillo Edgard Hernández Lancelott Devenish Nelson Maldonado Gerson Díaz Cristopher Aguilar Kevin Meraz Real Estelí Richard Rodríguez Maycon Santana Vinicius da Souza Jorge Betancur Eder Chaux Douglas Caé Roninho De Souza Real Madriz Erlyn Ruiz Jose Estrada Edder Mondragón Marlon Barrios Cristhian Cabria Nahun Martínez UNAN Jesus Guerrero Allan Gutiérrez Walter Ferretti Rafael De Almeida Bruno de Morais Rodrigo Hernández Johan Bonilla Paulo Cézar
(player released during the Apertura season) (player released between the Apertura and Clausura seasons) (player released during the Clausura season)
External links http://www.ligaprimera.com/ocotal https://int.soccerway.com/national/nicaragua/primera-division/20172018/apertura/r41773/ https://futbolnica.net/category/futbol-de-primera/