# Primera División de Fútbol Profesional 1997–98

The 1997–98 Primera División de Fútbol Profesional season is the 46th tournament of El Salvador's Primera División since its establishment of the National League system in 1948. . The tournament began November 1997 and ended on May 31, 1998. Luis Angel Firpo won the championship game against FAS 2–0.

## Notable events
### Change of name and ownership

Atletico Marte changed to Atletico Arabe Marte in 1997.

### New team

Atlético Arabe Marte from Soyapango were promoted, however the club relocated from Soyapango and moved to Sonsonate and Played under Sonsonate.

### Notable death from 1997 season and 1998 season

The following people associated with the Primera Division have died between the middle of 1997 and middle of 1998.
* Jorge Joaquin Canas (ex FAS player)
* Juan Francisco Barraza (ex Dragon and Aguila player and ex FAS, Aguila coach)

## Teams

| Team | City | Stadium | Head coach | Captain |
| Aguila | San Miguel, San Miguel Department | Estadio Juan Francisco Barraza | Juan Ramon Paredes | Waldir Guerra |
| Alianza | San Salvador, San Salvador Department | Estadio Cuscatlan | Jose Mario Figueroa | |
| Atletico Arabe Marte | San Salvador, San Salvador Department | Estadio Cuscutlan | Armando Contreras Palma | |
| Baygon-ADET | San Salvador, San Salvador Department | Estadio C. Sello de Oro | Victor Manuel Pacheco | |
| Dragon | San Miguel, San Miguel Department | Estadio Juan Francisco Barraza | German Barreto | Daniel Sagastizado |
| EL Roble | Ilobasco, Cabañas Department | Estadio Mauricio Vides | Didier Castro | Martin Pantajo |
| FAS | Santa Ana, Santa Ana Department | Estadio Oscar Quiteno | Nelson Brizuela | Jaime Murillo |
| Firpo | Usulután, Usulután Department | Estadio Sergio Torres | Julio Escobar | Leonel Carcamo |
| C.D. Municipal Limeno | Santa Rosa de Lima, La Unión Department | Estadio Ramon Flores Berrios | Antonio Carlos Vieira | |
| C.D. Sonsonate | Sonsonate, Sonsonate Department | Estadio Ana Mercedes Campos | Carlos Asdrúbal Padin | |

## Managerial changes
### Before the season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment |
| FAS | Valdier Viera | Sacked | July 11, 1997 | Nelson Brizuela | October 1997 |
| El Roble | Victor Manuel Pacheco | Sacked | October 1997 | Didier Castro | October 1997 |
| Atletico Arabe Marte | Juan Quarterone | Sacked | 1997 | Armando Contreras Palma | 1997 |
| ADET | Armando Contreras Palma | Sacked | 1997 | Victor Manuel Pacheco | 1997 |
| Aguila | Mladen Stefanovic | Sacked | 1997 | Juan Ramon Paredes | 1997 |
| Dragon | Gilberto Yearwood | Sacked | 1997 | German Barreto | 1997 |
| Municipal Limeno | Alfredo Romero (Intermship) | Intermship ended, moved to be assistant | 1997 | Antonio Carlos Vieira | 1997 |
| Alianza | Juan Carlos Masnik | Contract finished | November 1997 | Jose Mario Figueroa | November 1997 |

### During the season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Aguila | Juan Ramon Paredes | Sacked | January 1998 | Milovan Doric | January 1998 | |
| El Roble | Didier Castro | Mutual Consent | February 1998 | Luis Landos | February 1998 | 4th |
| Dragon | German Barreto | Sacked | February 1998 | Domingo Ramos (’’Interim’’) | February 1998 | 8th |
| Dragon | Domingo Ramos | Interimship finished returned to be assistant manager | March 1998 | Saúl Molina | March 1998 | 8th |
| Aguila | Milovan Doric | Mutual Consent, Due to Family Reason | April 1998 | Lazaro Buchillon | April 1998 | |
| El Roble | Luis Landos | Sacked | April 1998 | Carlos Jurado | April 1998 | 10th |
| Sonsonate | Carlos Asdrúbal Padin | Sacked | May 1998 | Cristo Farfan Velasquez | May 1998 | 9th |
| El Roble | Carlos Jurado | Sacked | May 1998 | Jose Luis Siu | May 1998 | 10th |

## Final Series
### Semi Final

LA Firpo won 3-0 on aggregare
FAS won 2-0 on aggregare

### Final

LA Firpo :
| GK | 1 | Misael Alfaro |
| DF | 24 | William Osorio |
| DF | 3 | Leonel Cárcamo |
| DF | 22 | Wilfredo Iraheta |
| DF | 15 | Nelson Quintanilla |
| MF | 10 | Raul Toro |
| MF | 17 | Guillermo García 30' |
| MF | 14 | Agustin Gamez 73' |
| DF | 31 | Jorge Sanchez |
| FW | 9 | Israel Castro |
| FW | 11 | Celio Rodriguez |
| Substitutes: ||
| MF | | Carlos Hernandez |
| MF | | Abraham Monterrosa |
| Manager: |||
| Julio Escobar ||||
FAS: :
| GK | 25 | Adolfo Menéndez |
| DF | 3 | Ricardo Cuellar 51' |
| DF | 4 | Mario Mayen Meza |
| DF | 5 | German Romano |
| DF | 7 | Rene Penate |
| MF | 24 | Erber Burgos |
| MF | 8 | Guillermo Rivera | 29' |
| MF | 36 | Cristian Álvarez |
| MF | 17 | William Renderos |
| Fw | 9 | Marlon Medrano | 72' |
| FW | 11 | Oscar Diaz |
| Substitutes: ||
| MF | | Jaime Vladimir Cubías | 29' 52' |
| MF | | Mágico González | 72' |
| Manager: |||
| Nelson Brizuela ||||
* 1997–98 champion
* LA Firpo 5th title

## Top scorers

| Pos | Player | Team | Goals |
| 1. | Alfredo ‘Chelito’ Pérez | LA Firpo | 15 |
| 2 | Celio Rodriguez | LA Firpo | 12 |
| 3. | Raul Toro | LA Firpo | 12 |
| 4. | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 5. | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 6. | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 7. | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 8. | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 9. | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 10. | TBD | TBD | TBD |

## List of foreign players in the league

This is a list of foreign players in 1997-1998. The following players:
* have played at least one game for the respective club.
* have not been capped for the El Salvador national football team on any level, independently from the birthplace