1991–92 Argentine Primera División

The 1991–92 Argentine Primera División was the 101st season of top-flight professional football in Argentina. Starting with this season, both Apertura and Clausura tournaments were recognised as separate championships, and no final decider was played between the winners of each tournament. River Plate won the Apertura and Newell's Old Boys won the Clausura.

The season ran from 10 September 1991 to 5 July 1992, with Quilmes and Unión de Santa Fe being relegated.^[1]

Competition format

The tournament for the 1991–92 season was composed of 20 teams. Each team played each other in a single round-robin tournament. The season was divided in two separate championships, called Apertura (Opening) and Clausura (Closing). If each tournament was won by a different team, they played a two-legged qualifier for the 1993 Copa Libertadores. To decide the remaining berth for the Copa Libertadores, the four runners-up from the Apertura tournaments and the four runners-up from the Clausura tournament (not already qualified in the Apertura tournament) competed in an eight-team knockout round. The winning team played against the losing team from the two-legged qualifier and was granted a berth in the 1993 Copa Libertadores. The losing team plus the finalist and best semi-finalist of the eight-team knockout round competed in the 1992 Copa CONMEBOL. Relegation occurred at the end of the Clausura stage, with the two teams with the worst three-year point average (Primera División competition only) being relegated to Primera B Nacional competition.

Apertura Tournament

Apertura

River Plate, Apertura champions
Season	1991
Dates	29 August – 22 December
Champions	River Plate
Promoted	Quilmes Belgrano (C)
Top goalscorer	Ramón Díaz (14 goals)
Biggest home win	Vélez Sarsfield 5–0 Huracán (28 Sep)
Biggest away win	Independiente 0-3 Newell's (28 Nov)
Highest scoring	Argentinos Juniors 5–2 Dep. Español (28 Nov. 1991)
← 1990–91 1992–93 →

The Apertura Tournament began on 29 August 1991 and finished on 22 December 1991. River Plate won the tournament. The match between River Plate and Racing was suspended, with the victory being awarded later to River Plate.

Clausura Tournament

Clausura

Newell's Old Boys, Clausura champions
Season	1992
Dates	21 February – 5 July
Champions	Newell's Old Boys
Relegated	Quilmes Unión
Top goalscorer	Diego Latorre Darío Scotto (9 goals each)
Biggest home win	Platense 5–0 R. Central (19 Apr)
Biggest away win	River Plate 0–5 Newell's (10 May)
Highest scoring	Estudiantes (LP) 5-1 Quilmes (8 Mar)
← 1990–91 1992–93 →

The Clausura Tournament began on 21 February 1992 and finished on 5 July 1992. Newell's Old Boys won their fourth title. Quilmes was deducted two points following incidents in their match against Ferro Carril Oeste.

Copa Libertadores qualification

Champions of the Apertura tournament River Plate faced Clausura champions Newell's Old Boys for a spot in the 1993 Copa Libertadores. The losing team would play against the winner of the eight-team knockout round for the remaining berth. River Plate won two of the three matches and qualified for the Copa Libertadores.

19 July 1992 (1992-07-19)

River Plate	1–0	Newell's Old Boys
Medina Bello 88'

Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires

Referee: Francisco Lamolina

26 July 1992 (1992-07-26)

River Plate	3–2	Newell's Old Boys
Medina Bello 23', 48' Díaz 32'		Martino 27' Lunari 43'

Estadio Olímpico de Córdoba, Córdoba

Referee: Juan C. Loustau

Team details

River Plate Newell's O.B. GK 1 José Miguel DF 4 Fabián Basualdo DF 2 Fernando Cáceres DF 6 Guillermo Rivarola DF 3 Diego Cocca MF 8 Gustavo Zapata MF 5 Leonardo Astrada MF 10 Julio Toresani MF 11 Hernán Díaz FW 7 Ramón Medina Bello  83' FW 9 Ramón Díaz  65' Substitutes: FW 16 Walter Silvani  65' MF 13 Javier Claut  83' Manager: Daniel Passarella GK 1 Norberto Scoponi DF 4 Julio Saldaña  12' DF 2 Fernando Gamboa DF 6 Mauricio Pochettino DF 3 Eduardo Berizzo MF 10 Alfredo Berti MF 5 Juan Manuel Llop MF 8 Gerardo Martino FW 7 Julio Zamora FW 9 Cristian Domizzi  71' FW 11 Ricardo Lunari Substitutes: DF 13 Gustavo Raggio  12' FW 16 Aldo Soria  71' Manager: Carlos Picerni

The second qualifying instance to the 1993 Copa Libertadores began on 10 July 1992 and finished on 26 July 1992. Eight teams competed in a direct elimination knockout tournament with home and away matches, where the winning team faced the losing team from the first qualifier. The losing team from this qualifier plus the two best teams from the knockout phase qualified for the 1992 Copa CONMEBOL.

2nd. place match

Vélez Sarsfield played a final playoff match against Newell's Old Boys for the remaining berth in the 1993 Copa Libertadores.

2 August 1992 (1992-08-02)

Newell's Old Boys	1–0	Vélez Sarsfield
Saldaña 80'

Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario

Referee: Juan Bava

Team details

Newell's O.B. Vélez Sarsfield GK 1 Norberto Scoponi DF 4 Julio Saldaña DF 2 Fernando Gamboa DF 6 Mauricio Pochettino DF 3 Eduardo Berizzo MF 11 Alfredo Berti MF 5 Juan Manuel Llop MF 8 Gerardo Martino MF 10 Juan J. Rossi  76' FW 7 Julio Zamora FW 9 Ricardo Lunari  89' Substitutes: FW 16 Cristian Domizzi  76' DF 14 Fabián Garfagnoli  89' Manager: Carlos Picerni GK 1 José Luis Chilavert DF 4 Horacio Bidevich DF 2 José Almandoz DF 6 Roberto Trotta DF 3 Raúl Cardozo MF 8 Carlos Compagnucci  87' MF 5 Alejandro Mancuso MF 7 Christian Bassedas MF 10 Norberto Ortega Sánchez FW 9 Ricardo Gareca FW 11 José O. Flores Substitutes: Campos  87' Manager: Eduardo Luján Manera

Relegation

At the end of the season Quilmes and Unión were relegated after finishing with the two worst points averages.

See also

• 1991–92 in Argentine football

References