2007–08 Argentine Primera División season

Primera División
Season 2007–08
Champions Apertura: Lanús (1st title)
Clausura: River Plate (33rd title)
Relegated Olimpo
San Martín (SJ)
2008 Copa Sudamericana Estudiantes de La Plata
San Lorenzo
Argentinos Juniors
Independiente
2009 Copa Libertadores Lanús
River Plate
Top goalscorer Apertura: Germán Denis (18 goals)
Clausura: Darío Cvitanich (13 goals)

The Apertura 2007 saw a great deal of success for the "smaller" teams in Argentine football. The eventual champions Club Atlético Lanús won the title for the first time in their history, the first "virgin" champions since Argentinos Juniors in 1984.

2nd place went to Club Atlético Tigre, a club playing their first season in the Argentine Primera since 1980 and making their best finish ever in the top flight.

3rd place went to Banfield, completing an extremely unlikely top three.

Another small club, Arsenal de Sarandí won the 2007 Copa Sudamericana, the first major title in their history, making them the first Argentine club other than Boca Juniors to win an international competition since San Lorenzo won the Copa Sudamericana 2002.

Another feature of the Apertura was the number of managerial changes, by the end of the Apertura there had been 12 managerial changes.

The Clausura 2008 was won by River Plate, their first title since 2004.

Contents

Torneo Apertura

Standings

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Lanús 19 11 5 3 34 21 +13 38 2009 Copa Libertadores Second Stage
2 Tigre 19 10 4 5 28 20 +8 34
3 Banfield 19 10 2 7 22 21 +1 32
4 Boca Juniors 19 9 4 6 32 18 +14 31
5 Argentinos Juniors 19 9 4 6 29 20 +9 31
6 Estudiantes 19 8 6 5 27 19 +8 30
7 Huracán 19 8 6 5 24 21 +3 30
8 San Lorenzo 19 8 5 6 29 27 +2 29
9 Independiente 19 8 4 7 33 23 +10 28
10 Vélez Sársfield 19 8 3 8 25 25 0 27
11 Newell's Old Boys 19 8 3 8 16 22 −6 27
12 Arsenal 19 7 5 7 19 24 −5 26
13 Racing 19 7 4 8 23 24 −1 25
14 River Plate 19 6 5 8 31 33 −2 23
15 Colón 19 6 4 9 19 22 −3 22
16 Olimpo 19 6 4 9 18 24 −6 22
17 Gimnasia (Jujuy) 19 5 5 9 22 31 −9 20
18 Gimnasia (La Plata) 19 5 4 10 15 27 −12 19
19 San Martín (San Juan) 19 5 3 11 18 29 −11 18
20 Rosario Central 19 2 8 9 21 33 −12 14

Source: AFA
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 defining the champion. If two or more teams are tied in point at the end of the tournament, a playoff will be held at a neutral venue within 72 hours for the championship.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Top Scorers

Position Player Team Goals
1 Germán Denis Independiente 18
2 José Sand Lanús 15
3 Martín Palermo Boca Juniors 13
4 Leandro Lázzaro Tigre 10
5 Néstor Silvera San Lorenzo 9
5 José Vizcarra Rosario Central 9
7 Facundo Sava Racing Club 8
8 Fernando Belluschi River Plate 7
8 Néstor Ayala Tigre 7
8 Álvaro Pereira Argentinos Juniors 7
8 Luis Tonelotto San Martín (SJ) 7

Torneo Clausura

Table positions as of June 22, 2008.

Standings

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 River Plate 19 13 4 2 29 13 +16 43 2009 Copa Libertadores Second Stage
2 Boca Juniors 19 11 6 2 33 15 +18 39
3 Estudiantes 19 11 6 2 30 21 +9 39
4 San Lorenzo 19 11 2 6 30 21 +9 35
5 Vélez Sársfield 19 9 5 5 24 17 +7 32
6 Independiente 19 8 7 4 25 15 +10 31
7 Argentinos Juniors 19 9 3 7 23 24 −1 30
8 Newell's Old Boys 19 8 5 6 21 19 +2 29
9 Rosario Central 19 7 6 6 26 23 +3 27
10 Arsenal 19 7 4 8 22 25 −3 25
11 Colón 19 6 5 8 25 27 −2 23
12 Banfield 19 6 4 9 36 36 0 22
13 Huracán 19 5 7 7 15 17 −2 22
14 Tigre 19 6 4 9 24 37 −13 22
15 Olimpo 19 6 2 11 21 32 −11 20
16 Lanús 19 5 3 11 26 39 −13 18
17 Gimnasia (La Plata) 19 4 5 10 19 26 −7 17
18 San Martín (San Juan) 19 5 2 12 20 30 −10 17
19 Gimnasia (Jujuy) 19 2 9 8 20 28 −8 15
20 Racing 19 2 9 8 14 22 −8 15

Source: AFA
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 defining the champion. If two or more teams are tied in point at the end of the tournament, a playoff will be held at a neutral venue within 72 hours for the championship.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Top Scorers

Positions as of June 25, 2008

Position Player Team Goals
1 Darío Cvitanich Banfield 13
2 Martín Palermo Boca Juniors 10
3 Martín Bravo San Martín (San Juan) 9
Germán Denis Independiente
Santiago Salcedo Newell's Old Boys
Diego Buonanotte River Plate
7 Rubén Ramírez Colón de Santa Fe 8
Luciano Leguizamón Arsenal de Sarandí
César Carranza Gimnasia de Jujuy
9 Daniel Montenegro Independiente 7
Santiago Silva Vélez Sársfield
Gonzalo Bergessio San Lorenzo
José Sand Lanús

Relegation

Pos
 Team 2005–06
Pts		 2006–07
Pts		 2007–08
Pts		 Total
Pts		 Total
Pld		 Avg
 Relegation
1 Boca Juniors 83 83 70 236 114 2.07
2 Estudiantes 52 81 69 202 114 1.772
3 River Plate 62 71 66 199 114 1.746
4 San Lorenzo 56 73 64 193 114 1.693
5 Vélez Sársfield 58 56 59 173 114 1.518
6 Lanús 58 59 56 173 114 1.518
7 Independiente 55 57 59 171 114 1.5
8 Tigre 0 0 56 56 38 1.474
9 Argentinos Juniors 50 46 61 157 114 1.377
10 Arsenal 44 62 51 157 114 1.377
11 Huracán 0 0 52 52 38 1.368
12 Banfield 59 39 54 152 114 1.333
13 Gimnasia (La Plata) 69 40 36 145 114 1.272
14 Newell's Old Boys 51 38 53 142 114 1.246
15 Rosario Central 45 52 41 138 114 1.211
16 Colón 46 46 45 137 114 1.202
17 Racing 44 49 40 133 114 1.167 Relegation Playoff Matches
18 Gimnasia (Jujuy) 51 43 35 129 114 1.132
19 Olimpo 0 0 42 42 38 1.105 Relegated to the Primera B Nacional
20 San Martín (San Juan) 0 0 35 35 38 0.921

Updated as of June 22, 2008; Source:AFA

Promotion playoff

Teams and schedules will be decided based on average after the end of the Closing tournament. The first and second legs of the final are scheduled to be played on June 25 and June 29, respectively.

Date
Time		 Venue Home Team Score Away Team Referee Match Report(s)
2008-06-25
17:00 ET		 Estadio 15 de Abril,
Santa Fe		 Unión de Santa Fe
Serrizuela  44'		 1-1 Gimnasia de Jujuy
Carranza  34'		 Alejandro Sabino Report (Spanish)
2008-06-29
17:10 ET		 Estadio 23 de Agosto,
San Salvador de Jujuy		 Gimnasia de Jujuy
Arraya  68'		 1-0 Unión de Santa Fe Diego Abal Report (Spanish)

Gimnasia de Jujuy wins 2-1 and stays in the Argentine First Division, while Unión de Santa Fe does not get promoted and remains in Argentine Nacional B.

Date
Time		 Venue Home Team Score Away Team Referee Match Report(s)
2008-06-25
20:10 ET		 Estadio Córdoba ,
Córdoba		 Belgrano de Córdoba
Gigli  76'		 1-1 Racing Club
Sava  14'		 Gustavo Bassi Report (Spanish)
2008-06-29
14:10 ET		 Presidente Perón,
Avellaneda		 Racing Club
Morales  10'		 1-0 Belgrano de Córdoba Sergio Pezzotta Report (Spanish)

Racing Club wins 2-1 and stays in the Argentine First Division, while Belgrano de Córdoba does not get promoted and remains in Argentine Nacional B.

International qualification

See also: Clubs in international competitions

Copa Sudamericana

Qualification for the 2008 Copa Sudamericana is determined from an aggregate table of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments. The top four teams in the aggregate table qualify; Boca Juniors and River Plate are invited regardless of their standings in the season, this season Arsenal de Sarandí was also invited as defending champions.

Aggregate table

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Boca Juniors 38 20 10 8 65 33 +32 70 2008 Copa Sudamericana Round of 16
2 Estudiantes 38 19 12 7 56 35 +21 69 2008 Copa Sudamericana First Stage
3 River Plate 38 19 9 10 60 46 +14 66 2008 Copa Sudamericana Round of 16
4 San Lorenzo 38 19 7 12 59 48 +11 64 2008 Copa Sudamericana First Stage
5 Argentinos Juniors 38 18 7 13 52 44 +8 61
6 Independiente 38 16 11 11 58 38 +20 59
7 Vélez Sársfield 38 17 8 13 49 42 +7 59
8 Lanús 38 16 8 14 60 60 0 56
9 Newell's Old Boys 38 16 8 14 37 41 −4 56
10 Tigre 38 16 8 14 52 57 −5 56
11 Banfield 38 16 6 16 58 57 +1 54
12 Huracán 38 13 13 12 39 39 0 52
13 Arsenal 38 14 9 15 41 49 −8 51 2008 Copa Sudamericana First Stage
14 Colón 38 12 9 17 44 49 −5 45
15 Olimpo 38 12 6 20 39 56 −17 42
16 Rosario Central 38 9 14 15 47 56 −9 41
17 Racing 38 9 13 16 37 46 −9 40
18 Gimnasia (La Plata) 38 9 9 20 34 53 −19 36
19 Gimnasia (Jujuy) 38 7 14 17 42 59 −17 35
20 San Martín (San Juan) 38 10 5 23 38 59 −21 35

Source: AFA
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd head-to-head points; 3rd head-to-head goal difference; 4th head-to-head goals.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Managerial Changes

This is a list of the managerial changes in the Argentine Primera during the 2007-2008 season.

Club Manager out Replaced by
Gimnasia La Plata Francisco Maturana 1st Julio Falcioni 2nd Guillermo Sanguinetti
Argentinos Juniors Ricardo Caruso Lombardi Néstor Gorosito
Huracán Antonio Mohamed 1st Osvaldo Ardiles 2nd Claudio Ubeda
Newell's Old Boys Pablo Marini 1st Ricardo Caruso Lombardi 2nd Fernando Gamboa
Olimpo Guillermo Rivarola 1st Roberto Saporiti 2nd Daniel Florit
Rosario Central Carlos Ischia Leonardo Madelón
Gimnasia de Jujuy Mario Gómez 1st Carlos Ramaciotti 2nd Omar Labruna
Vélez Sársfield Ricardo La Volpe Hugo Tocalli
River Plate Daniel Passarella Diego Simeone
Racing Club Gustavo Costas 1st Miguel Ángel Micó 2nd Juan Manuel Llop
Estudiantes Diego Simeone Roberto Sensini
Boca Juniors Miguel Ángel Russo Carlos Ischia
Colón de Santa Fe Leonardo Astrada Antonio Mohamed
Independiente Pedro Troglio 1st Miguel Ángel Santoro 2nd Claudio Borghi
Banfield Juan Manuel Llop 1st Miguel Jerez 2nd Jorge Burruchaga
San Lorenzo Ramón Díaz Miguel Ángel Russo
Arsenal de Sarandí Gustavo Alfaro Daniel Garnero
Lanús Ramón Cabrero Luis Zubeldía

Transfers

See List of Primera División Argentina football transfers - 2008-09.

See also

References

Calendar-year seasons
1931 · 1932 · 1933 · 1934 · 1935 · 1936 · 1937 · 1938 · 1939 · 1940 · 1941 · 1942 · 1943 · 1944 · 1945 · 1946 · 1947 · 1948 · 1949 · 1950 · 1951 · 1952 · 1953 · 1954 · 1955 · 1956 · 1957 · 1958 · 1959 · 1960 · 1961 · 1962 · 1963 · 1964 · 1965 · 1966
Metropolitano and Nacional
1967 · 1968 · 1969 · 1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979 · 1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 · 1985
European-style seasons
Apertura and Clausura