The 2019 Primera División season, officially Liga de Fútbol Profesional Venezolano or Liga FUTVE, was the 38th professional season of Venezuela's top-flight football league. Zamora were the defending champions, but in the Torneo Apertura they were knocked out by Mineros in the quarter-finals and in the Torneo Clausura they failed to advance to the knockout stage. The champions were Caracas, who won the Torneo Clausura by defeating Deportivo Táchira in the final and then went on to beat Apertura winners Estudiantes de Mérida in the Serie Final on penalties to claim their twelfth league title.
Teams
Stadia and locations
Relegated to 2019 Segunda DivisiónNone (league expanded)
Promoted to 2019 Primera División1Llaneros2LALA
Team Manager City Stadium Capacity Academia Puerto Cabello Carlos Maldonado Puerto Cabello La Bombonerita 7,500 Aragua Enrique García Maracay Olímpico Hermanos Ghersi Páez 14,000 Atlético Venezuela Henry Meléndez Caracas Brígido Iriartea 10,000 Carabobo Vacant Valencia Misael Delgadob 10,400 Caracas Noel Sanvicente Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940 Deportivo Anzoátegui Juvencio Betancourt Puerto La Cruz José Antonio Anzoátegui 37,485 Deportivo La Guaira Daniel Farías Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940 Deportivo Lara Leonardo González Cabudare Metropolitano de Cabudare 47,913 Deportivo Táchira Juan Tolisano San Cristóbal Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo 38,755 Estudiantes de Caracas Edson Rodríguez Maracay Olímpico Hermanos Ghersi Páez 14,000 Estudiantes de Mérida Martín Brignani Mérida Metropolitano de MéridaGuillermo Soto Rosa 42,20014,000 LALA Del Valle Rojas Ciudad Guayana Polideportivo Cachamay 41,600 Llaneros Edwin Quilagury Guanare Rafael Calles Pinto 13,000 Metropolitanos José María Morr Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940 Mineros Richard Páez Ciudad Guayana Polideportivo Cachamay 41,600 Monagas May Montoya (caretaker) Maturín Monumental de Maturín 51,796 Portuguesa José Parada Acarigua General José Antonio Páez 18,000 Trujillanos Martín Carrillo Valera José Alberto Pérez 25,000 Zamora Rubén Benítez (caretaker) Barinas Agustín Tovar 29,800 Zulia Alexander Rondón Maracaibo José "Pachencho" Romero 40,800
Managerial changes
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentTorneo AperturaMetropolitanos Jhon GiraldoSackedPre-season José María Morr18 December 2018Atlético Venezuela Tony Franco2 November 2018 Jaime de la Pava20 December 2018Estudiantes de Caracas José María MorrMutual agreement28 November 2018 Daniel de Oliveira12 December 2018Portuguesa Raymond PáezSacked9 December 2018 Jobanny Rivero9 December 2018Deportivo Anzoátegui Jobanny RiveroSigned by Portuguesa9 December 2018 Yoimer Segovia9 JanuaryLlaneros Edwin QuilaguryMutual agreement18 December 2018 Julio Quintero5 January Julio QuinteroResigned22 January Javier Yépez22 JanuaryAcademia Puerto Cabello Pedro DepablosSacked20 February18th Carlos Maldonado20 FebruaryDeportivo Táchira Giovanny Pérez7 March14th Juan Tolisano7 MarchLlaneros Javier YépezResigned19 March17th Ramón Argüello (caretaker)19 MarchTrujillanos José Nabor GavidiaMutual agreement22 March20th Jesús Valiente23 MarchDeportivo Anzoátegui Yoimer SegoviaSacked27 March20th Juvencio Betancourt27 MarchPortuguesa Jobanny Rivero9 April16th José Parada10 AprilMonagas José Manuel Rey21 May13th Silvio Rudman17 JuneLlaneros Ramón ArgüelloEnd of caretaker spell18 May18th Edwin Quilagury11 JulyTrujillanos Jesús ValienteReplaced16 June19th Martín Carrillo16 JuneTorneo ClausuraMineros Horacio MatuszyczkResigned16 August7th Laydeker Navas (caretaker)16 AugustZulia Francesco StifanoMutual agreement14 September12th Alex García King (caretaker)14 SeptemberEstudiantes de Caracas Daniel de Oliveira16 September19th Edson Rodríguez17 SeptemberZulia Alex García KingEnd of caretaker spell18 September9th Alexander Rondón18 SeptemberAtlético Venezuela Jaime de la PavaSacked19 September16th Henry Meléndez20 SeptemberZamora Alí Cañas3 October15th Rubén Benítez (caretaker)3 OctoberMonagas Silvio RudmanMutual agreement13 October16th May Montoya (caretaker)14 OctoberCarabobo Jhonny Ferreira11 December13thMineros Laydeker NavasEnd of caretaker spell14 December9th Richard Páez14 December
Torneo Apertura
The Torneo Apertura is the first tournament of the season. The regular season started on 26 January and ended on 19 May.
Standings
Results
Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
First leg
Second leg
Semi-finals
First leg
Second leg
Final
Tied 0–0 on aggregate, Estudiantes de Mérida won on penalties.
Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Edder FaríasAtlético Venezuela182 Richard BlancoMineros11 Aquiles OcantoCarabobo4 Armando MaitaLALA105 Luis AnneseLlaneros9 Luis Carlos CabezasDeportivo La Guaira Brayan MoyaZulia8 Richard CelisCaracas89 Armando AraqueEstudiantes de Caracas7 José BalzaDeportivo La Guaira José RivasTrujillanos
Source:
Attendances
Torneo Clausura The Torneo Clausura is the second tournament of the season. The regular season started on 26 July and ended on 10 November.
Standings
Results
Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
First leg
Second leg
Semi-finals
First leg
Second leg
Final
Tied 3–3 on aggregate, Caracas won on away goals.
Top goalscorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Lucas GómezDeportivo Táchira102 Manuel ArteagaZamora93 Gustavo AsconaAcademia Puerto Cabello8 Ronny MazaTrujillanos Esli GarcíaDeportivo Táchira Edanyilber NavasAragua Víctor AquinoDeportivo La Guaira Jesús ArrietaCaracas9 Richard BlancoMineros7 Frank FeltscherZulia Luis CastilloEstudiantes de Mérida Grenddy PerozoCarabobo
Source:
Serie Final The Serie Final was held between the champions of the Torneo Apertura and the Torneo Clausura to decide the champions of the season. The team out of both finalists with the best placement in the aggregate table hosted the second leg.
First leg
GK 1 Alejandro AraqueRB 20 José Manríquez CB 6 Oscar SainzCB 5 William Díaz LB 3 Daniel LinarezRM 7 Jesús Meza (c) CM 13 Ayrton Páez CM 15 Cristian Rivas LM 17 Christian FloresCF 16 Luis Castillo CF 29 Edson Rivas Substitutes:GK 12 Aldair PeñaDF 2 Omar LabradorDF 23 Galileo Del CastilloDF 24 Ronaldo Rivas MF 8 Yorwin LoboFW 9 Luz Rodríguez FW 11 Andris Herrera Manager: Martín Brignani GK 1 Alain BarojaRB 30 Luis Casiani CB 3 Rosmel VillanuevaCB 6 Rubert Quijada (c)LB 25 Juan MurielRM 10 Daniel SaggiomoCM 15 Ricardo Andreutti CM 18 Anderson Contreras LM 21 Leonardo FloresCF 8 Richard CelisCF 9 Carlos Espinoza Substitutes:GK 12 Cristhian FloresDF 4 Arquímedes Hernández MF 22 Jorge EcheverríaMF 26 Edgar Silva MF 28 Luis GonzálezMF 33 Diego Castillo FW 32 Enmanuel MorenoManager: Noel Sanvicente
Match rules 90 minutes. Seven named substitutes, of which up to three may be used.
Second leg
Tied 2–2 on aggregate, Caracas won on penalties.
GK 1 Alain BarojaRB 3 Rosmel Villanueva CB 25 Juan Muriel CB 6 Rubert Quijada (c) LB 2 Eduardo Fereira RM 33 Diego Castillo CM 21 Leonardo FloresCM 10 Daniel SaggiomoLM 11 Robert HernándezCF 24 Jesús Arrieta CF 8 Richard CelisSubstitutes:GK 12 Cristhian FloresDF 4 Arquímedes HernándezDF 30 Luis Casiani MF 15 Ricardo AndreuttiMF 22 Jorge Echeverría MF 26 Edgar SilvaFW 9 Carlos Espinoza Manager: Noel Sanvicente GK 1 Alejandro AraqueRB 20 José Manríquez CB 23 Galileo Del CastilloCB 6 Oscar SainzLB 3 Daniel Linarez RM 13 Ayrton Páez CM 7 Jesús Meza (c) CM 24 Ronaldo Rivas LM 17 Christian Flores CF 25 Adrián ValeroCF 16 Luis Castillo Substitutes:GK 12 Aldair PeñaDF 4 Jesús ÁlvarezDF 5 William Díaz MF 8 Yorwin Lobo FW 9 Luz RodríguezFW 11 Andris Herrera FW 21 Wílson MenaManager: Martín Brignani
Match rules 90 minutes. If the aggregate score is level, the away goals rule is used to determine the winner. Penalty shoot-out if the tie persists (no extra time is played). Seven named substitutes, of which up to three may be used.
Aggregate table
References
External links of the Venezuelan Football Federation