2020 Liga 1 (Peru)

The 2020 Liga 1 de Fútbol Profesional (known as the Liga 1 Movistar 2020 for sponsorship reasons) was the 104th season of the Peruvian Primera División, the highest division of Peruvian football. A total of 20 teams competed in the season with Binacional coming in as defending champions. The season started on 31 January 2020 and concluded on 20 December 2020 with the second leg of the finals. Sporting Cristal won its 20th domestic championship by beating Universitario in the finals by a 3–2 aggregate score.

Liga 1
Season2020
Dates31 January – 20 December 2020
ChampionsSporting Cristal (20th title)
RelegatedAtlético Grau
Carlos Stein
Deportivo Llacuabamba
Copa LibertadoresSporting Cristal
Universitario
Ayacucho
Universidad César Vallejo
Copa SudamericanaCarlos A. Mannucci
Sport Huancayo
UTC
Melgar
Matches played284
Goals scored750 (2.64 per match)
Top goalscorerEmanuel Herrera
(20 goals)
Biggest home winCienciano 4–0 U. San Martín
(9 February)
Melgar 4–0 Sport Huancayo
(18 November)
Biggest away winDep. Llacuabamba 0–6 Melgar
(21 November)
Highest scoringBinacional 3–6 Sporting Cristal
(17 October)
2019
2021

The competition was suspended between 12 March and 7 August due to the COVID-19 pandemic, being once again suspended that same day after one match had been played. It eventually resumed on 18 August 2020.

Competition format

The season was divided into three stages: Torneo Apertura (Fase 1), Torneo Clausura (Fase 2), and the Playoffs.[1]

The first and second stages were two Apertura and Clausura tournaments, later rebranded as Fase 1 and Fase 2, respectively. In the Apertura tournament, each team played the other teams once for a total of 19 games. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Clausura tournament was scheduled to be played in a similar way to the Apertura, with reversed fixtures, however, its format was altered due to the 5-month suspension of the league. For the Clausura, the 20 teams were split into two groups of 10 according to their final placement in the Apertura. Teams played the other teams in their group once, with the winners of both groups playing a final to decide the Clausura winners.[2] Points earned during the Apertura did not carry over during the Clausura. The winners of the Apertura and Clausura stages qualified to the playoffs along with the top two teams of the aggregate table at the end of the season, unless the Apertura and Clausura winners were placed in the top two positions of the aggregate table.

The playoffs to decide the national champion were scheduled to be contested by four teams, which would play two semifinals with the winners playing the final. Since the Apertura winners also ended up in the top two of the aggregate table, they were given a bye to the final and only one semi-final was played by the other two playoff qualifiers. In every stage of the playoffs, the teams with the most points on the aggregate table chose which leg they would play as the home team. If teams were tied in points after the two legs of the final, extra time and a penalty shootout would have been played to decide the national champion. If a team won both the Apertura and Clausura, the playoffs would not be played and that team would be declared as champion.

Qualification to international competitions was as follows: the four playoff qualifiers (or the top four teams of the aggregate table in case the playoffs were contested by a lower amount of teams) qualified for the 2021 Copa Libertadores, while the next three best teams in that table qualified for the 2021 Copa Sudamericana, with a fourth berth being allocated to the 2020 Copa Bicentenario winners.[3] With the cancellation of the Copa Bicentenario due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Copa Sudamericana berth allocated to its winner was transferred to the eighth best team in the aggregate table.[4] The four teams with the fewest points in the aggregate table at the end of the season were to be relegated, unless the Copa Perú was not played this season, in which case only three teams would be relegated. If the Liga 2 was not played this season either, only two teams would be relegated.[2] Eventually, only the Copa Perú was confirmed not to be held this season, with which three teams were relegated from Liga 1 at the end of the season.

Teams

20 teams played in the 2020 Liga 1 season, an increase of two teams from the previous season. The top sixteen teams in the 2019 Liga 1 took part, along with 2019 Liga 2 champions Cienciano, Copa Perú champions Carlos Stein, and the top two teams of the promotion play-offs (Atlético Grau and Deportivo Llacuabamba).

On 23 December 2019, Real Garcilaso announced its name change to Cusco Fútbol Club.

Team changes

Promoted from
2019 Liga 2
Promoted from
2019 Copa Perú
Promoted from
Promotion play-offs
Relegated from
2019 Liga 1
Cienciano (1st) Carlos Stein (1st) Atlético Grau (1st)
Deportivo Llacuabamba (2nd)
Unión Comercio (17th)
Pirata (18th)

Stadia and locations

TeamManagerCityStadiumCapacity[5]
Academia Cantolao Jorge EspejoCallaoMiguel Grau17,000
Alianza Lima Daniel AhmedLimaAlejandro Villanueva35,000
Alianza Universidad Rony RevollarHuánucoHeraclio Tapia25,000
Atlético Grau Rafael CastilloPiuraMiguel Grau25,000
SullanaCampeones del 36[note 1]12,000
Ayacucho Gerardo AmeliAyacuchoCiudad de Cumaná15,000
Binacional Luis FloresJuliacaGuillermo Briceño Rosamedina20,030
Carlos A. Mannucci Pablo PeiranoTrujilloMansiche25,000
Carlos Stein Daniel ValderramaOlmosFrancisco Mendoza Pizarro7,000
GuadalupeCarlos A. Olivares[note 2]12,000
Cienciano Marcelo GrioniCuscoGarcilaso42,056
Cusco Carlos RamacciottiCuscoGarcilaso42,056
SicuaniTúpac Amaru[note 3]15,000
Deportivo Llacuabamba Alberto CastilloCajamarcaHéroes de San Ramón18,000
Deportivo Municipal Víctor RiveraLimaIván Elías Moreno10,000
Universidad San Marcos[note 4]43,000
Melgar Marco Valencia (caretaker)ArequipaVirgen de Chapi60,000
Sport Boys Teddy CardamaCallaoMiguel Grau17,000
Sport Huancayo Wilmar ValenciaHuancayoEstadio Huancayo20,000
Sporting Cristal Roberto MosqueraLimaAlberto Gallardo18,000
Universidad César Vallejo José del SolarTrujilloMansiche25,000
Universidad San Martín Héctor BidoglioLimaAlberto Gallardo18,000
Universitario Ángel ComizzoLimaMonumental80,093
UTC Franco NavarroCajamarcaHéroes de San Ramón18,000

Starting from the seventh round of Stage 1, the following stadiums were used to host matches. Estadio Monumental in Lima was also included as a host stadium starting from the second round of Stage 2:

StadiumCity
Alberto GallardoLima
Alejandro VillanuevaLima
Iván Elías MorenoLima
Miguel GrauCallao
MonumentalLima
NacionalLima
Universidad San MarcosLima
Villa Deportiva NacionalLima

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment
Torneo Apertura
Sport Huancayo Carlos RamacciottiResigned18 November 2019[6]Pre-season Wilmar Valencia19 December 2019[7]
Academia Cantolao Jorge AraujoEnd of contract24 November 2019[8] Hernán Lisi14 December 2019[9]
UTC Gerardo Ameli24 November 2019 Franco Navarro28 November 2019[10]
Melgar Marco ValenciaEnd of caretaker spell24 November 2019 Carlos Bustos2 December 2019[11]
Ayacucho Mario VieraSigned by Carlos A. Mannucci27 November 2019[12] Gerardo Ameli29 November 2019[13]
Carlos A. Mannucci Pablo PeiranoEnd of contract28 November 2019[14] Juan Manuel Llop1 December 2019[15]
Universidad San Martín Carlos Bustos28 November 2019[16] Héctor Bidoglio13 December 2019[17]
Universitario Ángel Comizzo28 November 2019[18] Gregorio Pérez3 December 2019[19]
Deportivo Llacuabamba Roberto TristánResigned5 December 2019[20] Néstor Clausen10 January 2020[21]
Binacional Roberto MosqueraEnd of contract15 December 2019[22] César Vigevani1 January 2020[23]
Atlético Grau Wilmar ValenciaSigned by Sport Huancayo19 December 2019[7] Pablo Zegarra8 January 2020[24]
Carlos Stein Juan Carlos BazalarMutual consent20 December 2019[25] Orlando Lavalle31 December 2019[26]
Binacional César VigevaniResigned10 February 2020[27]8th Willy Escapa (caretaker)11 February 2020[28]
Sporting Cristal Manuel BarretoSacked20 February 2020[29]13th Jorge Soto (caretaker)20 February 2020[30]
Jorge SotoEnd of caretaker spell23 February 202014th Roberto Mosquera23 February 2020[31]
Binacional Willy Escapa24 February 20202nd Flabio Torres24 February 2020[32]
Deportivo Llacuabamba Néstor ClausenSacked1 March 2020[33]18th Néstor Otero2 March 2020[34]
Cusco Javier Arce3 March 2020[35]17th Carlos Ramacciotti5 March 2020[36]
Carlos A. Mannucci Juan Manuel LlopMutual consent7 March 2020[37]14th Pablo Peirano13 March 2020[38]
Alianza Lima Pablo BengoecheaResigned8 March 2020[39]13th Mario Salas16 March 2020[40]
Atlético Grau Pablo ZegarraSacked9 March 2020[41]20th Rafael Castillo9 March 2020[41]
Universitario Gregorio PérezMutual consent12 June 2020[42]4th Ángel Comizzo20 June 2020[43]
Binacional Flabio Torres8 September 2020[44]6th Javier Arce8 September 2020[45]
Cusco Carlos Ramacciotti9 September 2020[46]11th Francisco Melgar9 September 2020[47]
Sport Boys Marcelo VivasResigned13 September 2020[48]16th Luis Hernández (caretaker)15 September 2020[49]
Carlos Stein Orlando LavalleMutual consent19 September 2020[50]16th Juan Carlos Bazalar23 September 2020[51]
Sport Boys Luis HernándezResigned22 September 2020[52]19th Teddy Cardama23 September 2020[53]
Melgar Carlos BustosSacked24 September 2020[54]11th Marco Valencia (caretaker)24 September 2020[55]
Deportivo Llacuabamba Néstor Otero27 September 2020[56]20th Alberto Castillo27 September 2020[56]
Cusco Francisco MelgarReturn to Deportivo Coopsol1 October 2020[57]14th Carlos Ramacciotti7 October 2020[58]
Torneo Clausura
Binacional Javier ArceMutual consent26 October 2020[59]10th, Group A Luis Flores29 October 2020[60]
Academia Cantolao Hernán LisiSacked27 October 2020[61]8th, Group A Jorge Espejo28 October 2020[62]
Alianza Lima Mario Salas1 November 2020[63]8th, Group B Guillermo Salas (caretaker)1 November 2020[63]
Guillermo SalasEnd of caretaker spell6 November 20207th, Group B Daniel Ahmed6 November 2020[64]
Carlos Stein Juan Carlos BazalarSacked8 November 2020[65]8th, Group A Iván Chávez (caretaker)8 November 2020
Iván ChávezEnd of caretaker spell11 November 2020[66]6th, Group A Daniel Valderrama13 November 2020[66]

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

On 12 March, the Liga de Fútbol Profesional announced the decision to temporarily suspend the competition after the sixth round of the Torneo Apertura until at least 30 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[67]

On 2 June, the Peruvian government through its Ministry of Health and the Instituto Peruano del Deporte (IPD) approved the biosecurity protocol presented by the Peruvian Football Federation to allow the resumption of the competition, authorizing clubs to resume their training sessions.[68] On 8 June, the FPF and the Liga de Fútbol Profesional announced that the league would resume on 31 July with the seventh round of the Torneo Apertura, with training sessions to resume on 22 June. It was also announced that all the remaining matches of the season would be relocated to Lima to avoid the constant travel between cities that clubs must do under normal circumstances, as well as an alteration to the competition format.[2] However, after some delays with COVID-19 testing, the date for resumption was pushed back to 7 August.[69]

On 5 August nine positive cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Binacional, following the application of tests ordered by the FPF after some players of said club breached the biosecurity protocol upon their arrival to Lima.[70] In response to this finding the FPF's Medical Commission recommended the isolation of the entire Binacional delegation, meaning that their match against Alianza Lima scheduled for 9 August would not be played.[71]

On the evening of 7 August, and due to an agglomeration of Universitario fans in the outskirts of the Estadio Nacional before their club's match against Cantolao breaching biosecurity protocols, the IPD ordered the suspension of the remaining matches scheduled for the seventh round of the Torneo Apertura.[72] On 14 August, and following coordination meetings with authorities and awareness and prevention campaigns performed with fans, the IPD approved the proposal from the FPF to resume the competition on 18 August.[73]

Fase 1

Standings

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Universitario[a]1913423818+2042Advance to Playoffs and qualification for Copa Libertadores
2Sport Huancayo1910542315+835
3Sporting Cristal199643823+1533
4Universidad César Vallejo198922516+933
5Carlos A. Mannucci197842822+629
6UTC197842420+429
7Alianza Universidad198562117+429
8Melgar197752320+328
9Ayacucho197662821+727
10Cienciano198382723+427
11Binacional196582429−523
12Alianza Lima195771920−122
13Academia Cantolao196492133−1222
14Deportivo Municipal194962024−421
15Cusco195682631−521
16Universidad San Martín195682027−721
17Sport Boys[b]195592433−919
18Carlos Stein[c]194691828−1017
19Atlético Grau193881727−1017
20Deportivo Llacuabamba1925122542−1711
Source: ADFP, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals for; 4) Fair play points; 5) Drawing of lots; 6) Play-off (only if needed to decide first place).
If two teams are tied in points for first place: 2) Play-off.
Notes:

Results

Home \ AwayALIAUHCAGAYABINCANCAMSTECIECUSLLAMUNMELSBASHUCRIUCVUSMUNIUTC
Alianza Lima2–31–03–0[a]0–02–01–01–11–10–10–2
Alianza Universidad1–20–11–01–01–03–01–10–10–00–0
Atlético Grau1–12–22–21–13–22–31–10–00–0
Ayacucho2–01–11–01–23–01–11–22–11–11–1
Binacional2–30–10–02–11–32–43–13–61–0
Academia Cantolao1–01–21–00–22–22–10–21–32–60–0
Carlos A. Mannucci1–10–20–10–21–01–10–13–31–12–2
Carlos Stein0–21–11–10–31–23–32–21–21–30–1
Cienciano2–13–0[b]1–40–15–23–10–00–04–01–3
Cusco0–21–10–42–32–21–13–12–02–1
Deportivo Llacuabamba2–01–33–11–10–21–42–31–20–12–2
Deportivo Municipal2–00–11–10–12–21–21–10–50–0
Melgar2–21–03–00–00–21–01–01–11–2
Sport Boys1–23–30–12–13–21–11–00–11–43–3
Sport Huancayo1–10–11–01–01–03–21–14–32–0
Sporting Cristal1–12–11–22–10–13–20–02–01–0
Universidad César Vallejo2–10–21–11–01–10–02–02–01–1
Universidad San Martín1–23–10–02–12–21–20–11–10–11–1
Universitario2–03–22–01–01–13–22–10–22–0
UTC3–12–23–02–11–12–12–11–31–3
Source: ADFP, Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Fase 2

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualificationCRIUSMUTCCIEBINUNISTECAGAUHCAN
1Sporting Cristal9720209+1123Advance to Stage 2 final2–21–02–03–2
2Universidad San Martín95131210+2160–21–11–20–2
3UTC9351189+9141–13–00–01–24–2
4Cienciano94231211+1142–31–11–11–02–0
5Binacional94141113−2131–20–21–32–11–0
6Universitario93241217−5112–31–60–10–22–1
7Carlos Stein93151216−4100–21–13–21–32–1
8Atlético Grau9234912−391–40–23–11–1
9Alianza Universidad9225813−580–10–13–21–1
10Academia Cantolao91351115−461–22–02–20–0
Source: ADFP, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals for; 4) Drawing of lots.

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualificationAYAUCVCAMCUSMELSBALLAMUNSHUALI
1Ayacucho9621145+920Advance to Stage 2 final1–11–03–12–0
2Universidad César Vallejo9531167+9183–12–00–14–1
3Carlos A. Mannucci9513137+6162–30–20–02–11–0
4Cusco94321310+3151–13–11–20–01–0
5Melgar94141814+4130–24–13–24–00–4
6Sport Boys94051018−8120–10–41–03–2
7Deportivo Llacuabamba93151621−5101–00–22–30–63–0
8Deportivo Municipal9234914−591–10–21–12–50–0
9Sport Huancayo9234915−690–30–04–32–0
10Alianza Lima9117916−741–20–22–21–2
Source: ADFP, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals for; 4) Drawing of lots.

Fase 2 final

Sporting Cristal1–1 (a.e.t.)Ayacucho
Report
Penalties
2–3
Attendance: 0
Referee: Miguel Santiváñez

Aggregate table

Both stages (1 and 2) of the 2020 season will be aggregated into a single league table throughout the season to determine two of the teams that will qualify for the playoffs and the Copa Libertadores and four Copa Sudamericana qualifiers, as well as those to be relegated at the end of the season.

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1Sporting Cristal (C)2816845832+2656Qualification for Playoffs and Copa Libertadores group stage
2Universitario[a]2816665035+1553
3Universidad César Vallejo28131234123+1851Qualification for Copa Libertadores first stage
4Ayacucho2813874226+1647Qualification for Playoffs and Copa Libertadores second stage
5Carlos A. Mannucci2812974129+1245Qualification for Copa Sudamericana first stage
6Sport Huancayo2812883230+244
7UTC28101354229+1343
8Melgar2811894134+741
9Cienciano28125113934+541
10Alianza Universidad28107112930−137
11Universidad San Martín28107113237−537
12Cusco2899103941−236
13Binacional28106123542−736
14Sport Boys[b]2895143451−1731
15Deportivo Municipal28612102938−930
16Academia Cantolao2877143248−1628
17Alianza Lima2868142836−826
18Atlético Grau (R)28511122639−1326Relegation to 2021 Liga 2
19Carlos Stein[c] (R)2877143044−1425
20Deportivo Llacuabamba[d] (R)2856174163−2220
Source: ADFP
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals for; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head goals for; 7) Fair play points; 8) Drawing of lots.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:

Alianza Lima and CAS decision

On 28 November 2020, Alianza Lima were relegated to Liga 2 following a 2–0 loss to Sport Huancayo on the last matchday of the season, however, prior to this event the club's board had requested to the FPF the application of a two-point deduction on Carlos Stein for failing to comply with economic regulations. Since the FPF initially ruled that Carlos Stein would only get fined, Alianza Lima lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). After months without a final decision and with the 2021 season already underway, on 17 March 2021 the CAS ruled in favor of Alianza Lima and deducted two points from Carlos Stein in the 2020 season's aggregate table, thus reinstating Alianza Lima in the top tier while Carlos Stein ended up relegated.[80][81]

Playoffs

Semi-finalsFinals
          
Universitario
Bye
Universitario112
Sporting Cristal213
Sporting Cristal246
Ayacucho112

Semi-final

First leg

Sporting Cristal2–1Ayacucho
Report
Attendance: 0
Referee: Kevin Ortega

Second leg

Ayacucho1–4Sporting Cristal
Report
Attendance: 0
Referee: Diego Haro

Sporting Cristal won 6–2 on aggregate and advanced to the finals.

Finals

First leg

Universitario1–2Sporting Cristal
Report
Attendance: 0
Referee: Joel Alarcón

Second leg

Sporting Cristal1–1Universitario
Report

Sporting Cristal won 3–2 on aggregate.

Top goalscorers

RankNameClubGoals
1 Emanuel HerreraSporting Cristal20
2 Yorleys MenaUniversidad César Vallejo19
3 Danilo CarandoCusco14
Mauro GuevgeoziánUTC
Sebastián PencoSport Boys
6 Alejandro HohbergUniversitario13
Othoniel ArceMelgar
8 Jonathan Dos SantosUniversitario12
9 Jefferson CollazosAtlético Grau11
Matías SuccarDeportivo Municipal

Source: Soccerway

Liga 1 awards

On 1 February 2021, the Liga 1 announced the nominees for the 2020 Liga 1 awards.[82] The award ceremony, originally scheduled for 5 February 2021, 12:00 local time (UTC−5), was held on 15 February 2021, 20:00 local time. The winners were chosen based on voting by coaches and captains of 2020 Liga 1 teams, 50 local sports journalist and Liga 1 fans weighted as follows:[82]

  • Votes from 2020 Liga 1 coaches: 35%
  • Votes from 2020 Liga 1 teams captains: 35%
  • Votes from local sports journalists: 20%
  • Votes from fans on social media: 10%
AwardWinnerClubNomineesClub
Best player of the year Emanuel HerreraSporting Cristal Alejandro HohbergUniversitario
Yorleys MenaUniversidad César Vallejo
Best goalkeeper Diego MeliánDeportivo Municipal José CarvalloUniversitario
Manuel HerediaCarlos A. Mannucci
Newcomer Player Álex ValeraDeportivo Llacuabamba Matías SuccarDeportivo Municipal
Erinson RamírezUTC
Best under-21 player Yuriel CeliAcademia Cantolao Stalin MorilloUniversidad César Vallejo
Paolo ReynaMelgar
Best Coach Roberto MosqueraSporting Cristal Gerardo AmeliAyacucho
Ángel ComizzoUniversitario
Franco NavarroUTC
Wilmar ValenciaSport Huancayo
Goal of the Year Diego Manicero
(against Universidad San Martín, Torneo Apertura)
Carlos Stein Joazhiño Arroé
(against Deportivo Municipal, Torneo Apertura)
Alianza Lima
Gonzalo Rizzo
(against Sporting Cristal, Torneo Apertura)
Carlos A. Mannucci
Áxel Sánchez
(against Sporting Cristal, Torneo Apertura)
Atlético Grau
Lionard Pajoy
(against Alianza Lima, Torneo Apertura)
Alianza Universidad

The following awards were also awarded:

Best XI

The best XI team of the 2020 Liga 1 season was also announced during the award ceremony.[83]

GoalkeeperDefendersMidfieldersForwards
Diego Melián (MUN) Alexis Cossio (AYA)
Omar Merlo (CRI)
Gianfranco Chávez (CRI)
Josué Estrada (UTC)
Washington Corozo (CRI)
Martín Távara (CRI)
Horacio Calcaterra (CRI)
Alejandro Hohberg (UNI)
Yorleys Mena (UCV)
Emanuel Herrera (CRI)

See also

References