Football league season
The 2018 Primera División season , officially Liga de Fútbol Profesional Venezolano or Liga FUTVE , was the 37th professional season of Venezuela 's top-flight football league. Monagas were the defending champions, but did not qualify to the Serie Final, after being eliminated in the regular season of the Torneo Apertura and by Caracas in the quarter-finals of the Torneo Clausura.
Zamora were the champions, defeating Deportivo Lara on the Serie Final, 5–1 on aggregate.
Teams
Stadia and locations
Locations of the 2018 Primera División teams
Gran Valencia reached the final of the Segunda División and earned promotion to the Primera División, but the team was suspended "temporarily" by the Honorary Council of the FVF after forfeiting the second leg of the final.[ 1] On 15 January, Academia Puerto Cabello was announced as the replacement.[ 2]
Team
Manager
City
Stadium
Capacity
Academia Puerto Cabello
Pedro Depablos
Puerto Cabello
La Bombonerita
7,500
Aragua
Enrique García
Maracay
Olímpico Hermanos Ghersi Páez
14,000
Atlético Venezuela
Vacant
Caracas
Brígido Iriarte c
10,000
Carabobo
Jhonny Ferreira
Valencia
Misael Delgado d
10,400
Caracas
Noel Sanvicente
Caracas
Olímpico de la UCV a
23,940
Deportivo Anzoátegui
Jobanny Rivero
Puerto La Cruz
José Antonio Anzoátegui
37,485
Deportivo La Guaira
Daniel Farías
Caracas
Olímpico de la UCV a
23,940
Deportivo Lara
Leonardo González
Cabudare
Metropolitano de Cabudare
47,913
Deportivo Táchira
Giovanny Pérez
San Cristóbal
Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo
38,755
Estudiantes de Caracas
José María Morr
Caracas
Brígido Iriarte c
10,000
Estudiantes de Mérida
Martín Brignani
Mérida
Metropolitano de Mérida b
42,200
Metropolitanos
Jhon Giraldo
Caracas
Olímpico de la UCV c
23,940
Mineros
Horacio Matuszyczk
Ciudad Guayana
Polideportivo Cachamay
41,600
Monagas
José Manuel Rey
Maturín
Monumental de Maturín
51,796
Portuguesa
Raymond Páez
Acarigua
General José Antonio Páez
18,000
Trujillanos
José Nabor Gavidia
Valera
José Alberto Pérez
25,000
Zamora
Alí Cañas
Barinas
Agustín Tovar
29,800
Zulia
Francesco Stifano
Maracaibo
José "Pachencho" Romero
40,800
a : Caracas and Deportivo La Guaira played outside of the Estadio Olímpico in Caracas until September due to maintenance works at the stadium. Caracas played its matches at Cocodrilos Sports Park and La Guaira at the Estadio José Antonio Anzoátegui in Puerto La Cruz (Torneo Apertura) and the Universidad Santa María campus in Caracas (Torneo Clausura).
b : In the Torneo Apertura, Estudiantes de Mérida played Matchday 3 (against Aragua ) at the Estadio General José Antonio Páez in Acarigua and Matchday 5 (against Mineros ) at the Estadio Rafael Calles Pinto in Guanare , as the Estadio Metropolitano in Mérida was suspended.
c : Atlético Venezuela , Estudiantes de Caracas and Metropolitanos played at Brígido Iriarte Stadium in Caracas until 11 March as the stadium was suspended. Atlético Venezuela is playing at the Estadio Giuseppe Antonelli in Maracay and Estudiantes de Caracas and Metropolitanos are playing at the Universidad Santa María campus in Caracas. Metropolitanos will play at the Estadio Olímpico in Caracas once the works are finished.[ 3]
d : In the Torneo Clausura, Carabobo will play outside of the Estadio Misael Delgado in Valencia due to maintenance works at the stadium. Carabobo will play at the Estadio Metropolitano in Cabudare .[ 3]
Managerial changes
Torneo Apertura
The Torneo Apertura is the first tournament of the season. The regular season started on 28 January and ended on 19 May.
Standings
Source:
Liga FUTVE ,
Soccerway Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored.
Results
Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
First leg
Second leg
Semi-finals
First leg
Second leg
Final
Zamora won 2–1 on aggregate.
Top goalscorers
Torneo Clausura
The Torneo Clausura is the second tournament of the season. The regular season started on 21 July and ended on 28 October.
Standings
Source:
Liga FUTVE ,
Soccerway Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored.
Notes:
Results
Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
First leg
Second leg
Semi-finals
First leg
Second leg
Final
Deportivo Lara won 1–0 on aggregate.
Top goalscorers
Serie Final
The Serie Final is held between the champions of the Torneo Apertura and the Torneo Clausura to determine the champions of the season. The best team of the finalists in the aggregate table chose the order of the legs.
First leg
Match rules
90 minutes.
Seven named substitutes, of which up to three may be used.
Second leg
Zamora won 5–1 on aggregate.
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
Source:
FVF Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored.
(C) Champions
Notes:
References
External links
Domestic leagues Domestic cups Super cups CONMEBOL competitions