# 2021 Chilean Primera División

The 2021 Chilean Primera División, known as Campeonato PlanVital 2021 for sponsorship purposes, was the 91st season of the Chilean Primera División, Chile's top-flight football league. The season began on 27 March and ended on 5 December 2021. Universidad Católica were the defending champions, and won their fourth straight title in the competition, and sixteenth overall, after a 3–0 away win over Everton on 4 December 2021, the last matchday of the season.

## Format

In early February 2021, several bodies floated format proposals for the 2021 season, considering that the 2020 and 2021 editions of both the Copa Chile and Supercopa de Chile still needed to be played. ANFP considered playing a tournament with two stages, starting from late March. In the first stage, the 17 teams would play each other in a single round-robin tournament with the teams being split for the second stage in two groups: the top eight teams would play against each other for the championship, four Copa Libertadores berths and two Copa Sudamericana ones, while the remaining nine teams would play to avoid relegation, with the top team of that group also qualifying for the Copa Sudamericana. Three teams would be relegated: two teams directly and another one in a play-off. Meanwhile, the players union Sifup proposed to play a double round-robin tournament from April to December with two relegations, the 2020 Copa Chile in the first semester of 2021 and a league cup involving the Primera División teams in the second semester, with league broadcaster TNT Sports supporting a double round-robin tournament, or two short tournaments with play-offs in case the long tournament proposal was not feasible.
On 2 March 2021, ANFP's Council of Presidents voted to approve the format for the season. It was eventually decided to play a double round-robin tournament with the top three teams after 34 rounds qualifying for the Copa Libertadores, with a fourth berth being awarded to the 2021 Copa Chile champions. The teams placed from fourth to seventh place will qualify for the Copa Sudamericana, while the bottom two teams were relegated to Primera B, with the team placed third-from-bottom playing a double-legged play-off against the winners of the Primera B play-offs.

## Teams

17 teams took part in the league in this season, down by one from the previous season: 15 teams from the 2020 tournament, plus the 2020 Primera B champions Ñublense and Deportes Melipilla, winners of the Primera B promotion play-offs. Ñublense returned to the top flight after five and a half years, while Deportes Melipilla played in Primera División after 13 years. Both promoted teams replaced Coquimbo Unido, Deportes Iquique, and Universidad de Concepción, who were relegated to Primera B at the end of the 2020 season.

### Stadia and locations

| Team | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Audax Italiano | Santiago (La Florida) | Bicentenario de La Florida | 12,000 |
| Cobresal | El Salvador | El Cobre | 12,000 |
| Colo-Colo | Santiago (Macul) | Monumental David Arellano | 47,347 |
| Curicó Unido | Curicó | La Granja | 8,278 |
| Deportes Antofagasta | Antofagasta | Calvo y Bascuñán | 21,178 |
| Deportes La Serena | La Serena | La Portada | 18,243 |
| Deportes Melipilla | Melipilla | Roberto Bravo Santibáñez | 6,000 |
| Everton | Viña del Mar | Sausalito | 22,360 |
| Huachipato | Talcahuano | Huachipato-CAP Acero | 10,500 |
| Ñublense | Chillán | Nelson Oyarzún Arenas | 12,000 |
| O'Higgins | Rancagua | El Teniente | 13,849 |
| Palestino | Santiago (La Cisterna) | Municipal de La Cisterna | 8,000 |
| Santiago Wanderers | Valparaíso | Elías Figueroa Brander | 20,575 |
| Unión Española | Santiago (Independencia) | Santa Laura-Universidad SEK | 19,000 |
| Unión La Calera | La Calera | Nicolás Chahuán Nazar | 9,200 |
| Universidad Católica | Santiago (Las Condes) | San Carlos de Apoquindo | 14,118 |
| Universidad de Chile | Santiago (Ñuñoa) | Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos | 48,665 |

#### Notes

* ↑ Audax Italiano played their home matches at Estadio El Teniente in Rancagua since Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida is being used as a vaccination center for COVID-19.
* ↑ Universidad de Chile played their home matches at Estadio El Teniente in Rancagua since Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos is closed for remodeling works for the 2023 Pan American Games.

### Personnel and kits

| Team | Head coach | Kit manufacturer | Sponsors |
| Audax Italiano | Pablo Sánchez | Macron | Traverso |
| Cobresal | Gustavo Huerta | KS7 | PF |
| Colo-Colo | Gustavo Quinteros | Adidas | Pilsen del Sur |
| Curicó Unido | Damián Muñoz | OneFit | Multihogar |
| Deportes Antofagasta | Diego Reveco (caretaker) | Claus-7 | Minera Escondida |
| Deportes La Serena | Ivo Basay | Macron | Betano |
| Deportes Melipilla | Cristián Arán | Training | Ariztía |
| Everton | Roberto Sensini | Charly | Claro |
| Huachipato | Mario Salas | OneFit | PF |
| Ñublense | Jaime García | OneFit | Fanaloza |
| O'Higgins | Miguel Ramírez | Adidas | Sun Monticello |
| Palestino | Patricio Graff | Capelli Sport | Bank of Palestine |
| Santiago Wanderers | Jorge Garcés | Macron | TCL |
| Unión Española | César Bravo | Kappa | Universidad SEK |
| Unión La Calera | Francisco Meneghini | Siker | PF |
| Universidad Católica | Cristian Paulucci | Under Armour | BICE |
| Universidad de Chile | Cristián Romero (caretaker) | Adidas | Petrobras |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Deportes Antofagasta | Héctor Tapia | End of contract | 14 February 2021 | Pre-season | Juan José Ribera | 22 February 2021 |
| Santiago Wanderers | Miguel Ramírez | End of contract | 16 February 2021 | Pre-season | Ronald Fuentes | 18 February 2021 |
| Unión La Calera | Juan Pablo Vojvoda | Mutual consent | 18 February 2021 | Pre-season | Luca Marcogiuseppe | 1 March 2021 |
| Universidad Católica | Ariel Holan | Use of exit clause | 18 February 2021 | Pre-season | Gustavo Poyet | 28 February 2021 |
| Unión Española | Jorge Pellicer | Sacked | 3 May 2021 | 14th | César Bravo | 3 May 2021 |
| Santiago Wanderers | Ronald Fuentes | Resigned | 8 May 2021 | 17th | Víctor Rivero | 13 May 2021 |
| Universidad de Chile | Rafael Dudamel | Mutual consent | 5 June 2021 | 10th | Esteban Valencia | 6 June 2021 |
| Santiago Wanderers | Víctor Rivero | Mutual consent | 25 June 2021 | 17th | Emiliano Astorga | 6 July 2021 |
| Unión La Calera | Luca Marcogiuseppe | Mutual consent | 1 July 2021 | 3rd | Francisco Meneghini | 1 July 2021 |
| Curicó Unido | Martín Palermo | Resigned | 25 July 2021 | 16th | Damián Muñoz | 25 July 2021 |
| O'Higgins | Dalcio Giovagnoli | Mutual consent | 8 August 2021 | 11th | Miguel Ramírez | 9 August 2021 |
| Palestino | José Luis Sierra | Mutual consent | 16 August 2021 | 14th | Patricio Graff | 19 August 2021 |
| Universidad Católica | Gustavo Poyet | Mutual consent | 30 August 2021 | 5th | Cristian Paulucci | 31 August 2021 |
| Deportes Melipilla | John Armijo | Sacked | 30 August 2021 | 15th | Cristián Arán | 1 September 2021 |
| Deportes La Serena | Miguel Ponce | Sacked | 31 August 2021 | 12th | Óscar Correa (caretaker) | 1 September 2021 |
| Deportes La Serena | Óscar Correa | End of caretaker spell | 7 September 2021 | 11th | Ivo Basay | 7 September 2021 |
| Deportes Antofagasta | Juan José Ribera | Mutual consent | 29 September 2021 | 9th | Diego Reveco (caretaker) | 29 September 2021 |
| Huachipato | Juan Luvera | Mutual consent | 17 October 2021 | 15th | Mario Salas | 18 October 2021 |
| Universidad de Chile | Esteban Valencia | Resigned | 31 October 2021 | 12th | Cristián Romero (caretaker) | 31 October 2021 |
| Santiago Wanderers | Emiliano Astorga | Mutual consent | 8 November 2021 | 17th | Jorge Garcés | 8 November 2021 |

#### Notes

* ↑ Originally as caretaker manager, appointed as manager on a permanent basis on 20 September 2021.
* ↑ Moisés Villarroel was caretaker manager during the 2021 Copa Chile.
* ↑ Originally as caretaker manager, appointed as manager on a permanent basis on 21 August 2021.
* ↑ Originally as caretaker manager, appointed as manager on a permanent basis on 15 September 2021.
* ↑ Rodrigo Córdova was caretaker manager in the 20th and 21st round matches against Unión Española and Palestino.
* ↑ Domingo Sorace was caretaker manager in the 31st round match against Curicó Unido.

## Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Universidad Católica (C) | 32 | 22 | 2 | 8 | 65 | 34 | +31 | 68 | Qualification for Copa Libertadores group stage |
| 2 | Colo-Colo | 32 | 19 | 5 | 8 | 49 | 26 | +23 | 62 | Qualification for Copa Libertadores group stage |
| 3 | Audax Italiano | 32 | 14 | 12 | 6 | 39 | 31 | +8 | 54 | Qualification for Copa Libertadores second stage |
| 4 | Unión La Calera | 32 | 15 | 6 | 11 | 41 | 40 | +1 | 51 | Qualification for Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 5 | Unión Española | 32 | 15 | 3 | 14 | 48 | 50 | −2 | 48 | Qualification for Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 6 | Deportes Antofagasta | 32 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 34 | 36 | −2 | 47 | Qualification for Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 7 | Ñublense | 32 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 49 | 37 | +12 | 44 | Qualification for Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 8 | Palestino | 32 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 48 | 50 | −2 | 41 | |
| 9 | Cobresal | 32 | 11 | 7 | 14 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 40 | |
| 10 | Deportes La Serena | 32 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 40 | 42 | −2 | 39 | |
| 11 | Universidad de Chile | 32 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 34 | 37 | −3 | 39 | |
| 12 | Everton | 32 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 29 | 35 | −6 | 39 | Qualification for Copa Libertadores second stage |
| 13 | O'Higgins | 32 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 31 | 41 | −10 | 38 | |
| 14 | Curicó Unido | 32 | 8 | 13 | 11 | 37 | 39 | −2 | 37 | |
| 15 | Huachipato (O) | 32 | 8 | 13 | 11 | 36 | 41 | −5 | 37 | Qualification for Relegation play-off |
| 16 | Deportes Melipilla (R) | 32 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 39 | 51 | −12 | 32 | Relegation to Primera B |
| 17 | Santiago Wanderers (R) | 32 | 5 | 6 | 21 | 24 | 54 | −30 | 21 | Relegation to Primera B |
* ↑ Since the winners of the 2021 Copa Chile, Colo-Colo, qualified for the Copa Libertadores based on league performance, the Copa Libertadores second stage berth allocated to the Copa Chile winners was transferred to the Copa Chile runners-up, Everton.
* ↑ Deportes Melipilla were deducted six points due to irregularities with the contracts of footballers.

## Results

| Home \ Away | AUD | CSL | CC | CUR | ANT | DLS | MEL | EVE | HUA | ÑUB | OHI | PAL | SW | UE | ULC | UC | UCH |
| Audax Italiano | — | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Cobresal | 1–2 | — | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 |
| Colo-Colo | 1–1 | 0–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Curicó Unido | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–2 |
| Deportes Antofagasta | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 1–2 |
| Deportes La Serena | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 5–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 4–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 |
| Deportes Melipilla | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–0 |
| Everton | 1–2 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–2 | — | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–0 |
| Huachipato | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | — | 5–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Ñublense | 1–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | — | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 6–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 |
| O'Higgins | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 |
| Palestino | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–2 | — | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 |
| Santiago Wanderers | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| Unión Española | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | — | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 |
| Unión La Calera | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | — | 0–2 | 1–4 |
| Universidad Católica | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 4–3 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | — | 1–0 |
| Universidad de Chile | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | — |

## Top scorers

| Rank | Name | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Gonzalo Sosa | Deportes Melipilla | 23 |
| 1 | Fernando Zampedri | Universidad Católica | 23 |
| 3 | Joaquín Larrivey | Universidad de Chile | 20 |
| 4 | Cristian Palacios | Unión Española | 16 |
| 5 | Diego Valencia | Universidad Católica | 14 |
| 6 | Bryan Carrasco | Palestino | 13 |
| 7 | Brayan Hurtado | Cobresal | 12 |
| 8 | Leandro Benegas | Curicó Unido | 11 |
| 8 | Nicolás Guerra | Ñublense | 11 |
| 8 | Iván Morales | Colo-Colo | 11 |
| 8 | Lautaro Palacios | Audax Italiano | 11 |
Source: Soccerway

## Promotion/relegation play-off

The team placed 15th in the season table (Huachipato) played the winners of the Primera B play-offs (Deportes Copiapó) in a double-legged series, with the winner earning the right to play in the top flight for the following season.
Huachipato won 4–2 on aggregate and remained in Primera División.