The 1990–91 Argentine Primera División finals were the matches to define the 1990–91 season of Argentine Primera División. It was played between Newell's Old Boys (winners of 1990 Apertura) and Boca Juniors (winners of 1991 Clausura).Argentina 1990-91 by Pablo Ciullini at RSSSF.com
The 1990–91 season was the first played under the Apertura and Clausura format, a single round-robin tournament format that lasted for several years in Primera División. Both finalists played a two-legged tie series in order to decide the champion of the whole season.
It was the 5th. league final contested by Boca Juniors after 1923 (won a four-matches series v Huracán¡A 99 años del Boca Juniors Campeón de 1923! at UACDRA website) and 1929 (lost v Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata),Gimnasia campeón 1929Un día como hoy, Gimnasia se coronaba campeón del fútbol argentino on El Editor Platense by Axel Laurini, 9 Feb 2025 1970, and 1976. On the other hand, it was the 1st league final played by Newell's Old Boys.
The matches were held in the Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, and La Bombonera. Newell's won their 3rd. league title after defeating Boca Juniors 3–1 on penalties.
Qualified teams Team Qualification Previous finals app. Newell's Old Boys 1990 Apertura winners (none) Boca Juniors 1991 Clausura winners 1923, 1929, 1970, 1976
Venues Rosario Buenos Aires Gigante de Arroyito Stadium La Bombonera Capacity: 46,955 Capacity: 57,200
Background
Boca Juniors and Newell's Old Boys had already played a decisive match when both teams met in the 1986 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores final.Newell's 1 - Boca 4 match details The Liguilla was a small tournament played by the best placed teams of both, Primera División and regional Torneo del Interior, in order to qualify a second Argentine representative to Copa Libertadores.Liguilla Pre Libertadores 1986. by Eduardo Rodríguez on Newell's blogsite In the 1986 edition, Boca Juniors defeated Newell's 4–3 on aggregate. Therefore Boca Juniors was the 2nd. team qualified to the 1986 Copa Libertadores.
Diego Latorre and Gabriel Batistuta had been the most notable players for Boca Juniors during the 1991 Clausura, when they formed one of the most notable offensive teams in the history of the club. Boca had finished the tournament unbeaten, with 13 wins and 6 draws out of 19 matches played.Boca 91: el dato desconocido de la final by Pablo Lisotto on La Nación
Nevertheless, after both players were called up to play for Argentina national football team in the 1991 Copa America, they could not play the series with Boca Juniors. As replacements, the club hired midfielder Gerardo Reinoso and Brazilian striker Renato Gaúcho, just to play those two matches.Murió "Gaúcho", el delantero brasileño que jugó una final para Boca on La ueva.com, 18 Mar 2016 On the other side, Newell's players Darío Franco and Fernando Gamboa were also called up for Argentina so they could not play the finals with Newell's.
Matches
First leg
GK 1 Norberto ScoponiDF 4 Eduardo BerizzoDF 2 Mauricio PochettinoDF 6 Fabián GarfagnoliDF 3 Miguel FullanaDF 10 Julio Saldaña MF 5 Juan Manuel Llop MF 8 Gerardo Martino (c) MF 7 Julio Zamora FW 9 Ariel Cozzoni FW 11 Cristian Domizzi Substitutes:MF Juan C. Roldán FW Ariel Boldrini GK Carlos A. PanciroliDF Gustavo RaggioMF Ricardo LunariManager: Marcelo Bielsa
GK 1 Carlos Navarro Montoya (c)DF 4 Diego Soñora DF 2 Juan Simón DF 6 Enrique Hrabina DF 3 Carlos Moya MF 8 Walter PicoMF 5 Blas Giunta MF 10 Carlos Tapia FW 7 Alfredo Graciani FW 9 Gaúcho FW 11 Gerardo Reinoso Substitutes:FW Antonio Apud GK Esteban Pogany DF Ivar StafuzaDF Víctor MarchesiniDF Claudio RodríguezManager: Oscar Tabárez
Second leg
GK 1 Carlos Navarro Montoya (c)DF 4 Diego Soñora DF 2 Juan Simón DF 6 Enrique Hrabina DF 3 Carlos Moya MF 8 Walter PicoMF 5 Blas GiuntaMF 10 Carlos Tapia FW 7 Alfredo Graciani FW 9 Gaúcho FW 11 Gerardo Reinoso Substitutes:FW Antonio Apud FW Claudio Rodríguez GK Esteban Pogany DF Ivar StafuzaDF Víctor MarchesiniManager: Oscar Tabárez
GK 1 Norberto ScoponiDF 4 Eduardo BerizzoDF 2 Mauricio PochettinoDF 6 Fabián GarfagnoliDF 3 Miguel FullanaDF 10 Julio Saldaña MF 5 Juan Manuel Llop MF 8 Gerardo Martino (c) MF 7 Julio ZamoraFW 9 Ariel Cozzoni FW 11 Cristian DomizziSubstitutes:MF Juan C. Roldán FW Ariel Boldrini GK Carlos A. PanciroliDF Diego Cerro MF Ricardo LunariManager: Marcelo Bielsa
Aftermath Newell's and Boca Juniors had celebrated the 1990 Clausura and 1991 Apertura as individual titles for them, although in June 1991 the AFA's Executive Committee decided (with all the PD clubs agreeing to the decision) that the 1990–91 season would have only one champion so a final would be conducted in order to decide a winner of the season.
The controversy caused AFA to recognise Apertura and Clausura tournaments as individual (and official) titles for their winners. From then on (starting with the 1991–92 season), winners of the following editions were recognised as official champions with no need to play a final.
According to that, Boca Juniors have claimed the 1991 Apertura be recognised as another league title for the club,Boca y Racing también salen a reclamar títulos on La Gazeta, 17 Jul 2013Boca y Racing pedirán a la AFA que le reconozcan títulos on Sitio Andino. 8 Jul 2013 as AFA did with the titles win in 1936 (the first season to be split into two tournaments, "Copa Campeonato" and "Copa de Honor") by San Lorenzo and River Plate). Both teams played a final (named "Copa de Oro") to define the champion of the season.Argentina 1936 by Osvaldo Gorgazzi on RSSSF.com In June 2013 (77 years after the match was played) AFA cited on its website the "Copa Campeonato" as a league title for River Plate. The "Copa de Honor" was also included as a league title for San Lorenzo de Almagro.Campeones de Primera División on AFA website"¿River y San Lorenzo campeones... de 1936?" on Goal.com, 5 Jul 2013"La AFA le dio un campeonato a River y a San Lorenzo y se desató la polémica" on CanchaLlena.com, 5 July 2013
References