2008–09 Argentine Primera División Season
The 2008-09 Primera División season was the 118th season of top-flight professional football in Argentina and the nineteenth season in which the Apertura and Clausura system is used.
| Season | 2008–09 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Apertura: Boca Juniors (29th title) Clausura: Vélez Sarsfield (7th title) |
| Relegated | Gimnasia y Esgrima (J) San Martín (T) |
| 2009 Copa Libertadores | Boca Juniors San Lorenzo Estudiantes (LP) |
| 2010 Copa Libertadores | Vélez Sarsfield |
| 2009 Copa Sudamericana | Lanús Vélez Sarsfield San Lorenzo Tigre |
| Top goalscorer | Apertura: José Sand (15 goals) Clausura: José Sand (13 goals) Season: José Sand (28 goals) |
← 2007–08 2009–10 → | |
Boca Juniors won the Apertura championship for their 29th national title after a three team playoff with Tigre and San Lorenzo. The Clausura championship was won by Vélez Sársfield for their 7th national title. Gimnasia y Esgrima (J) and San Martín (T) were relegated to the Primera B Nacional.
Format
The format for the 2008-09 season remained unchanged. The season was split into two tournaments called Apertura and Clausura. Each tournament was contested by the same 20 teams in a single round-robin format. The champions of each tournament is determined by points. If the tops teams would be tied at points at the end of each tournament, a playoff would be held at a neutral site. Relegation was determined at the end of the season.
Club information
Promotion and relegation
Olimpo and San Martín (SJ) were relegated at the end of the 2007–08 Primera División season. They were replaced by Godoy Cruz and San Martín (T), both of whom were promoted from the Primera B Nacional.
Gimnasia y Esgrima (J) and Racing played the relegation/promotion playoffs against Unión and Belgrano, respectively. Both Gimnasia and Esgrima (J) and Racing won their playoff matches and retained their status in top-flight football.
Personnel
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apertura changes | ||||||
| Huracán |  Claudio Úbeda | Resigned | Sep. 14, 2008 | Héctor Martínez (interim) | Sep. 15, 2008 | 20th |
| Estudiantes (LP) | Roberto Sensini | Resigned | Sep. 17, 2008 | Leonardo Astrada | Sep. 20, 2008 | 18th |
| Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) |  Guillermo Sanguinetti | Resigned | Sep. 29, 2008 | Leonardo Madelón | Oct. 2, 2008 | 12th |
| Independiente | Claudio Borghi | Resigned | Oct. 5, 2008 | Miguel Ángel Santoro | Oct. 6, 2008 | 15th |
| Rosario Central | Pablo Sánchez | Sacked | Oct. 6, 2008 | Gustavo Alfaro | Oct. 10, 2008 | 19th |
| Godoy Cruz | Daniel Oldrá | Resigned | Oct. 28, 2008 | Diego Cocca | Oct. 29, 2008 | 18th |
| Huracán | Héctor Martínez (interim) | End of contract | Nov. 3, 2008 | Ángel Cappa | Nov. 4, 2008 | 15th |
| River Plate | Diego Simeone | Resigned | Nov. 9, 2008 | Gabriel Rodríguez (interim) | Nov. 10, 2008 | 20th |
| Vélez Sarsfield | Hugo Tocalli | Resigned | Dec. 3, 2008 | Pedro Larraquy (interim) | Dec. 4, 2008 | 6th |
| Inter-tournament changes | ||||||
| Argentinos Juniors | Néstor Gorosito | Resigned | Dec. 14, 2008 | Claudio Vivas | Dec. 27, 2008 | 11th (A) |
| Vélez Sarsfield | Pedro Larraquy (interim) | End of contract | Dec. 15, 2008 | Ricardo Gareca | Dec. 16, 2008 | 9th (A) |
| River Plate | Gabriel Rodríguez (interim) | End of contract | Dec. 15, 2008 | Néstor Gorosito | Dec. 23, 2008 | 20th (A) |
| Newell's Old Boys | Fernando Gamboa | Resigned | Dec. 16, 2008 | Roberto Sensini | Dec. 22, 2008 | 5th (A) |
| Clausura changes | ||||||
| Racing | Juan Manuel Llop | Sacked | Feb. 21, 2009 | Ricardo Caruso Lombardi | Feb. 24, 2009 | 20th |
| Rosario Central | Gustavo Alfaro | Sacked | Feb. 28, 2009 | Reinaldo Merlo | Mar. 2, 2009 | 18th |
| Gimnasia y Esgrima (J) | Omar Labruna | Resigned | Mar. 10, 2009 | Héctor Arzubialde | Mar. 11, 2009 | 19th |
| Estudiantes (LP) | Leonardo Astrada | Resigned | Mar. 11, 2009 | Alejandro Sabella | Mar. 15, 2009 | 18th |
| Independiente | Miguel Ángel Santoro | Resigned | Mar. 21, 2009 | Américo Gallego | Mar. 27, 2009 | 8th |
| Banfield | Jorge Burruchaga | Resigned | Mar. 22, 2009 | Julio César Falcioni | Mar. 23, 2009 | 9th |
| San Lorenzo | Miguel Ángel Russo | Resigned | Apr. 9, 2009 | Diego Simeone | Apr. 16, 2009 | 10th |
| Rosario Central | Reinaldo Merlo | Resigned | Apr. 14, 2009 | Miguel Ángel Russo | Apr. 16, 2009 | 9th |
| Arsenal | Daniel Garnero | Sacked | Apr. 25, 2009 | José Rizzo (interim) | Apr. 26, 2009 | 16th |
| Arsenal | José Rizzo (interim) | End of contract | May 4, 2009 | Jorge Burruchaga | May 5, 2009 | 18th |
| Argentinos Juniors | Claudio Vivas | Resigned | May 23, 2009 | Claudio Borghi | Jun. 2, 2009 | 20th |
| Boca Juniors | Carlos Ischia | Resigned | Jun. 16, 2009 | Abel Alves (interim) | Jun. 17, 2009 | 15th |
Transfers
Torneo Apertura
The Torneo Apertura (English: Opening Tournament) was played between August 6 to December 14, 2008. The champions earned a spot in the 2009 Copa Libertadores.
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Lorenzo | 19 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 34 | 17 | +17 | 39 | Qualification for Championship playoff |
| 1 | Boca Juniors | 19 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 33 | 21 | +12 | 39 | |
| 1 | Tigre | 19 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 31 | 19 | +12 | 39 | |
| 4 | Lanús | 19 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 34 | 23 | +11 | 37 | |
| 5 | Newell's Old Boys | 19 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 26 | 18 | +8 | 31 | |
| 6 | Arsenal | 19 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 26 | 27 | −1 | 28 | |
| 7 | Estudiantes (LP) | 19 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 24 | 25 | −1 | 28 | |
| 8 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 19 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 17 | 15 | +2 | 27 | |
| 9 | Vélez Sarsfield | 19 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 22 | 27 | −5 | 26 | |
| 10 | Colón | 19 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 29 | 25 | +4 | 23 | |
| 11 | Argentinos Juniors | 19 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 25 | 26 | −1 | 23 | |
| 12 | Godoy Cruz | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 28 | −3 | 23 | |
| 13 | Banfield | 19 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 21 | −3 | 23 | |
| 14 | Racing | 19 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 19 | 22 | −3 | 22 | |
| 15 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (J) | 19 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 19 | 31 | −12 | 21 | |
| 16 | San Martín (T) | 19 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 15 | 18 | −3 | 20 | |
| 17 | Huracán | 19 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 18 | 29 | −11 | 20 | |
| 18 | Independiente | 19 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 23 | −8 | 18 | |
| 19 | Rosario Central | 19 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 20 | 26 | −6 | 15 | |
| 20 | River Plate | 19 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 20 | 29 | −9 | 14 |
Rules for classification: Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal difference; 3rd goals scored; 4th head-to-head points; 5th head-to-head goal difference; 6th head-to-head goals scored. This does not apply to determining the champion. If two or more teams would be tied in points at the end of the tournament, a playoff would be held at a neutral venue within 72 hours for the championship.
Results
Championship playoff
Since San Lorenzo, Tigre and Boca Juniors ended the tournament with the same number of points, a three-way playoff was played to determine the champions.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boca Juniors (C) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 | Qualification for 2009 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 2 | Tigre | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
| 3 | San Lorenzo | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 3 |
| Tigre | 1–2 | San Lorenzo |
|---|---|---|
Lázzaro  76' | Report | Barrientos 18' Bergessio 20' |
| San Lorenzo | 1–3 | Boca Juniors |
|---|---|---|
| Solari 61' | Report | Viatri 45' Palacio 77'Chávez 90' |
         San Lorenzo |      Boca Juniors |
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boca Juniors | 0–1 | Tigre |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Lázzaro 68' |
     Boca Juniors |  Tigre |
|
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| Primera División 2008 Apertura champions |
|---|
| Boca Juniors 29th title |
Top Goalscorers
| Pos | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | José Sand | Lanús | 15 |
| 2 | Martín Morel | Tigre | 13 |
| 3 | Esteban Fuertes | Colón | 11 |
| 4 | Alejandro Gómez | Arsenal | 8 |
| Mauro Boselli | Estudiantes (LP) | ||
| 6 | Rubén Ramírez | Colón | 7 |
| Lucas Viatri | Boca Juniors | ||
| Pablo Barrientos | San Lorenzo | ||
| Leonel Núñez | Independiente | ||
| Carlos Luna | Tigre |
Source: Scorer Stats (in Spanish)
Torneo Clausura
The Torneo Clausura (English: Closing Tournament) began on February 6, 2009 and ended on July 5, 2009. The champions earned a spot in the 2010 Copa Libertadores.
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vélez Sarsfield (C) | 19 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 29 | 13 | +16 | 40 | Qualification for 2010 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 2 | Huracán | 19 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 35 | 19 | +16 | 38 | |
| 3 | Lanús | 19 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 32 | 26 | +6 | 38 | |
| 4 | Colón | 19 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 29 | 19 | +10 | 34 | |
| 5 | Racing | 19 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 23 | 21 | +2 | 30 | |
| 6 | Estudiantes (LP) | 19 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 18 | +4 | 29 | |
| 7 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 19 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 23 | 21 | +2 | 28 | |
| 8 | River Plate | 19 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 24 | 25 | −1 | 27 | |
| 9 | Godoy Cruz | 19 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 23 | 26 | −3 | 26 | |
| 10 | Rosario Central | 19 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 23 | 21 | +2 | 25 | |
| 11 | San Lorenzo | 19 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 27 | 26 | +1 | 24 | |
| 12 | Banfield | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 23 | |
| 13 | Tigre | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 24 | 25 | −1 | 23 | |
| 14 | Boca Juniors | 19 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 22 | 25 | −3 | 22 | |
| 15 | Newell's Old Boys | 19 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 21 | 22 | −1 | 21 | |
| 16 | Independiente | 19 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 22 | 36 | −14 | 21 | |
| 17 | San Martín (T) | 19 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 20 | 23 | −3 | 20 | |
| 18 | Arsenal | 19 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 19 | 30 | −11 | 18 | |
| 19 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (J) | 19 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 24 | −9 | 17 | |
| 20 | Argentinos Juniors | 19 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 32 | −13 | 15 |
Rules for classification: Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal difference; 3rd goals scored; 4th head-to-head points; 5th head-to-head goal difference; 6th head-to-head goals scored.
(C) Champions
| Primera División 2009 Clausura champions |
|---|
| Vélez Sarsfield 7th title |
Results
Top Goalscorers
| Pos | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | José Sand | Lanús | 13 |
| 2 | Daniel Montenegro | Independiente | 12 |
| Esteban Fuertes | Colón | ||
| 4 | Hernán López | Vélez Sarsfield | 11 |
| Carlos Luna | Tigre | ||
| 6 | Santiago Silva | Banfield | 9 |
| 7 | Leandro Caruso | Godoy Cruz | 8 |
 Radamel Falcao | River Plate | ||
| Gonzalo Bergessio | San Lorenzo | ||
| 10 | Javier Pastore | Huracán | 7 |
| Martín Palermo | Boca Juniors |
Source: AFA
Relegation
Relegation from the Primera Division was determined on the basis of performance over the last three seasons. Every club had its points earned divided by the number of matches played and an average (Spanish: promedio) was determined. The clubs who finished in 17th and 18th played a relegation play-off against the 3rd and 4th placed clubs in Primera B Nacional. The clubs who finished in 19th and 20th were directly relegated to Primera B Nacional.
| Pos | Team | 2006–07 Pts | 2007–08 Pts | 2008–09 Pts | Total Pts | Total Pld | Avg | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boca Juniors | 83 | 70 | 61 | 214 | 114 | 1.877 | |
| 2 | Estudiantes (LP) | 81 | 69 | 57 | 207 | 114 | 1.815 | |
| 3 | San Lorenzo | 73 | 64 | 63 | 200 | 114 | 1.754 | |
| 4 | Lanús | 59 | 56 | 73 | 190 | 114 | 1.666 | |
| 5 | Vélez Sarsfield | 56 | 59 | 66 | 181 | 114 | 1.587 | |
| 6 | River Plate | 71 | 66 | 41 | 178 | 114 | 1.561 | |
| 7 | Tigre | — | 56 | 62 | 118 | 76 | 1.552 | |
| 8 | Huracán | — | 52 | 58 | 110 | 76 | 1.447 | |
| 9 | Arsenal | 62 | 51 | 46 | 159 | 114 | 1.394 | |
| 10 | Independiente | 57 | 59 | 39 | 155 | 114 | 1.359 | |
| 11 | Colón | 46 | 45 | 57 | 148 | 114 | 1.298 | |
| 12 | Godoy Cruz | — | — | 49 | 49 | 38 | 1.289 | |
| 13 | Argentinos Juniors | 46 | 61 | 38 | 145 | 114 | 1.271 | |
| 14 | Newell's Old Boys | 35 | 56 | 52 | 143 | 114 | 1.254 | |
| 15 | Racing | 49 | 40 | 52 | 141 | 114 | 1.236 | |
| 16 | Banfield | 39 | 54 | 46 | 139 | 114 | 1.219 | |
| 17 | Rosario Central | 52 | 41 | 40 | 133 | 114 | 1.166 | Relegation Playoff Matches |
| 18 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 40 | 36 | 55 | 131 | 114 | 1.149 | |
| 19 | San Martín (T) | — | — | 40 | 40 | 38 | 1.052 | Relegation to Primera B Nacional |
| 20 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (J) | 43 | 35 | 38 | 116 | 114 | 1.017 |
Source:AFA
Relegation/promotion playoffs
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Relegation/promotion playoff 1 | ||||
| Atlético de Rafaela | 3–3 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 3–0 | 0–3 |
| Relegation/promotion playoff 2 | ||||
| Belgrano | 1–2 | Rosario Central | 0–1 | 1–1 |
Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) remained in the Argentine First Division after a 3–3 aggregate tie by virtue of a "sports advantage". In case of a tie in goals, the team from the First Division gets to stay in it. Rosario Central won 2–1 and stayed in the Argentine First Division, while Belgrano does not get promoted and remains in Argentine Nacional B.
International qualification
Copa Libertadores
The Apertura champions qualified for the 2009 Copa Libertadores and the Clausura champions qualified to the 2010 Copa Libertadores. The last two Argentina spots for the 2009 Copa Libertadores were determined by the sum of all points obtained in the past three tournaments.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boca Juniors | 57 | 32 | 13 | 12 | 98 | 54 | +44 | 109 | Qualification for 2009 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 2 | San Lorenzo | 57 | 31 | 10 | 16 | 93 | 65 | +28 | 103 | |
| 3 | Estudiantes (LP) | 57 | 27 | 16 | 14 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 97 | Qualification for 2009 Copa Libertadores First Stage |
| 4 | Tigre | 57 | 28 | 11 | 18 | 83 | 76 | +7 | 95 | |
| 5 | Lanús | 57 | 27 | 12 | 18 | 94 | 83 | +11 | 93 | Qualification for 2009 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 6 | Newell's Old Boys | 57 | 24 | 15 | 18 | 63 | 59 | +4 | 87 | |
| 7 | Vélez Sarsfield | 57 | 24 | 13 | 20 | 71 | 69 | +2 | 85 | |
| 8 | Argentinos Juniors | 57 | 23 | 15 | 19 | 77 | 70 | +7 | 84 | |
| 9 | River Plate | 57 | 21 | 17 | 19 | 80 | 75 | +5 | 80 | Qualification for 2009 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 10 | Arsenal | 57 | 22 | 13 | 22 | 67 | 76 | −9 | 79 | |
| 11 | Banfield | 57 | 21 | 14 | 22 | 76 | 78 | −2 | 77 | |
| 12 | Independiente | 57 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 73 | 61 | +12 | 77 | |
| 13 | Huracán | 57 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 57 | 67 | −10 | 72 | |
| 14 | Colón | 57 | 17 | 17 | 23 | 73 | 74 | −1 | 68 | |
| 15 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 57 | 15 | 18 | 24 | 51 | 68 | −17 | 63 | |
| 16 | Racing | 57 | 14 | 20 | 23 | 56 | 68 | −12 | 62 | |
| 17 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (J) | 57 | 13 | 17 | 27 | 61 | 90 | −29 | 56 | |
| 18 | Rosario Central | 57 | 13 | 17 | 27 | 67 | 82 | −15 | 56 | |
| 19 | Godoy Cruz | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 28 | −3 | 23 | |
| 20 | San Martín (T) | 19 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 15 | 18 | −3 | 20 |
Notes:
Copa Sudamericana
Qualification for the 2009 Copa Sudamericana was determined from an aggregate table of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments. The top four teams in the aggregate table qualified; Boca Juniors and River Plate were invited every year till this season, regardless of their standings in the season.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lanús | 38 | 23 | 6 | 9 | 66 | 49 | +17 | 75 | 2009 Copa Sudamericana First Stage |
| 2 | Vélez Sarsfield | 38 | 18 | 12 | 8 | 51 | 40 | +11 | 66 | |
| 3 | San Lorenzo | 38 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 61 | 43 | +18 | 63 | |
| 4 | Tigre | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 55 | 44 | +11 | 62 | |
| 5 | Boca Juniors | 38 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 55 | 46 | +9 | 61 | |
| 6 | Huracán | 38 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 53 | 48 | +5 | 58 | |
| 7 | Colón | 38 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 58 | 44 | +14 | 57 | |
| 8 | Estudiantes (LP) | 38 | 16 | 9 | 13 | 46 | 43 | +3 | 57 | |
| 9 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 38 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 40 | 36 | +4 | 55 | |
| 10 | Newell's Old Boys | 38 | 12 | 16 | 10 | 47 | 40 | +7 | 52 | |
| 11 | Racing | 38 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 42 | 43 | −1 | 52 | |
| 12 | Godoy Cruz | 38 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 48 | 54 | −6 | 49 | |
| 13 | Arsenal | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 45 | 57 | −12 | 46 | |
| 14 | Banfield | 38 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 43 | 46 | −3 | 46 | |
| 15 | River Plate | 38 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 44 | 54 | −10 | 41 | 2009 Copa Sudamericana First Stage |
| 16 | Rosario Central | 38 | 11 | 7 | 20 | 43 | 47 | −4 | 40 | |
| 17 | San Martín (T) | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 35 | 41 | −6 | 40 | |
| 18 | Independiente | 38 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 37 | 59 | −22 | 39 | |
| 19 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (J) | 38 | 10 | 8 | 20 | 34 | 55 | −21 | 38 | |
| 20 | Argentinos Juniors | 38 | 7 | 17 | 14 | 44 | 58 | −14 | 38 |
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd head-to-head points; 3rd head-to-head goal difference; 4th head-to-head goals
See also
External links
- Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA) website (in Spanish)
- Season regulations (in Spanish)
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