# 2011–12 Venezuelan Primera División season

The 2011–12 Primera División season was the 30th professional season of Venezuela's top-flight football league.

## Teams

Eighteen teams will participate this season, sixteen of whom remain from the previous season. Caroní and Atlético Venezuela were relegated after accumulating the fewest points in the 2010–11 season aggregate table. They will be replaced by Llaneros and Tucanes, the 2010–11 Segunda División winner and runner-up, respectively.
| Team | City | Stadium |
| Aragua | Maracay | Olímpico Hermanos Ghersi Páez |
| El Vigía | El Vigía | Ramón "Gato" Hernández |
| Carabobo | Valencia | Misael Delgado |
| Caracas | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV |
| Deportivo Anzoátegui | Puerto La Cruz | José Antonio Anzoátegui |
| Deportivo Lara | Barquisimeto | Metropolitano de Barquisimeto |
| Deportivo Petare | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV |
| Deportivo Táchira | San Cristóbal | Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo |
| Estudiantes | Mérida | Metropolitano de Mérida |
| Mineros | Ciudad Guayana | Polideportivo Cachamay |
| Llaneros | Guanare | Rafael Calles Pinto |
| Monagas | Maturín | Monumental de Maturín |
| Real Esppor | Caracas | Brígido Iriarte |
| Trujillanos | Valera | Luis Loreto Lira |
| Tucanes | Puerto Ayacucho | Antonio José de Sucre |
| Yaracuyanos | San Felipe | Florentino Oropeza |
| Zamora | Barinas | Agustín Tovar |
| Zulia | Maracaibo | José "Pachencho" Romero |

## Torneo Apertura

The Torneo Apertura is the first tournament of the season. It began in August 2011 and ended in December 2011.

### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Deportivo Lara (C) | 17 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 39 | 12 | +27 | 41 | Serie Final and the 2013 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 2 | Caracas | 17 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 13 | +14 | 36 | |
| 3 | Deportivo Petare | 17 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 28 | 15 | +13 | 35 | |
| 4 | Deportivo Anzoátegui | 17 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 11 | +5 | 30 | |
| 5 | Mineros | 17 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 28 | |
| 6 | Zulia | 17 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 28 | 20 | +8 | 27 | |
| 7 | Yaracuyanos | 17 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 17 | +7 | 24 | |
| 8 | Zamora | 17 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 23 | 19 | +4 | 23 | |
| 9 | Aragua | 17 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 15 | 19 | −4 | 23 | |
| 10 | Monagas | 17 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 20 | 23 | −3 | 21 | |
| 11 | Trujillanos | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 22 | 21 | +1 | 20 | |
| 12 | Real Esppor | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 23 | −5 | 20 | |
| 13 | Deportivo Táchira | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 21 | −7 | 20 | |
| 14 | El Vigía | 17 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 25 | −8 | 17 | |
| 15 | Tucanes | 17 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 21 | 30 | −9 | 13 | |
| 16 | Llaneros | 17 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 18 | 28 | −10 | 13 | |
| 17 | Estudiantes | 17 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 37 | −22 | 11 | |
| 18 | Carabobo | 17 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 17 | 27 | −10 | 8 | |
* ↑ Carabobo deducted 1 point.

### Results

| Home \ Away | ARA | ATV | CBO | CRC | DAN | DLA | DPE | DTA | EME | LLA | MGU | MON | RES | TRU | TUC | YAR | ZAM | ZUL |
| Aragua | | 3–2 | | 0–0 | | | 0–0 | | | | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | | 0–3 | | 1–4 |
| El Vigía | | | | | | | 3–2 | | | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 1–1 |
| Carabobo | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–3 | | | 2–2 | | 2–2 | | | | | | 0–0 | |
| Caracas | | 2–1 | | | | | 1–4 | | | | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | | 2–0 | | 2–1 |
| Deportivo Anzoátegui | 0–1 | 2–1 | | 1–0 | | | 1–3 | | | | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | | | | 3–2 |
| Deportivo Lara | 1–1 | 3–0 | | 0–0 | 0–0 | | | | 3–1 | | 5–1 | | 4–0 | | | | 4–0 | 1–0 |
| Deportivo Petare | | | 2–1 | | | 3–4 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | | |
| Deportivo Táchira | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | | | 3–0 | | | | | | | | 0–0 | |
| Estudiantes | 1–1 | 1–0 | | 0–2 | 0–0 | | | | | | 1–1 | | 0–5 | | | | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Llaneros | 0–0 | | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | | 3–0 | 1–1 | | | | | | | | 2–2 | |
| Mineros | | | | | | | 0–1 | 2–0 | | 2–1 | | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 0–2 |
| Monagas | | | 2–0 | | | 0–2 | | 3–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | | | | | 3–2 | 0–0 | 3–1 | |
| Real Esppor | | | 0–2 | | | | 0–3 | 2–0 | | 3–2 | | 2–0 | | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | | |
| Trujillanos | | | 1–1 | | | 1–3 | | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | | 2–0 | | | 2–0 | 2–2 | | |
| Tucanes | 0–1 | | 1–0 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 | | 1–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | | | | | | | 1–3 | |
| Yaracuyanos | | | 3–2 | | 1–0 | 0–2 | | 2–0 | 5–1 | 4–0 | | | | | 2–3 | | 0–0 | |
| Zamora | 2–2 | 3–0 | | 0–0 | 1–0 | | 1–2 | | | | 1–2 | | 4–0 | 3–1 | | | | 1–1 |
| Zulia | | | 3–1 | | | | 0–1 | 1–1 | | 3–3 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | | |

## Torneo Clausura

The Torneo Clausura is the second tournament of the season.

### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Deportivo Lara (C) | 17 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 32 | 12 | +20 | 42 | Serie Final and the 2013 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 2 | Mineros | 17 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 29 | 14 | +15 | 34 | |
| 3 | Deportivo Anzoátegui | 17 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 21 | 10 | +11 | 32 | |
| 4 | Caracas | 17 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 23 | 20 | +3 | 28 | |
| 5 | Llaneros | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 14 | +3 | 26 | |
| 6 | Zamora | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 25 | |
| 7 | Zulia | 17 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 25 | |
| 8 | Trujillanos | 17 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 17 | 16 | +1 | 23 | |
| 9 | Aragua | 17 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 16 | 17 | −1 | 21 | |
| 10 | Carabobo | 17 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 15 | −1 | 21 | |
| 11 | Deportivo Táchira | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 19 | −1 | 20 | |
| 12 | Monagas | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 15 | −1 | 20 | |
| 13 | Yaracuyanos | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 20 | −2 | 20 | |
| 14 | Estudiantes | 17 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 17 | 19 | −2 | 19 | |
| 15 | Real Esppor | 17 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 14 | −5 | 18 | |
| 16 | Deportivo Petare | 17 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 22 | −6 | 16 | |
| 17 | El Vigía | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 24 | −13 | 16 | |
| 18 | Tucanes | 17 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 36 | −21 | 8 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | ARA | ATV | CBO | CRC | DAN | DLA | DPE | DTA | EME | LLA | MGU | MON | RES | TRU | TUC | YAR | ZAM | ZUL |
| Aragua | | | 0–0 | | 0–2 | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | | | | | 1–1 | | 2–1 | |
| El Vigía | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | | 0–0 | 1–1 | | | | | | | | 1–2 | |
| Carabobo | | | | | | | 2–0 | 1–0 | | 0–0 | | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | | 0–1 |
| Caracas | 2–1 | | 2–1 | | 0–0 | 2–3 | | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | | | | | 3–0 | | 1–0 | |
| Deportivo Anzoátegui | | | 0–0 | | | 1–0 | | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | | | | | 6–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | |
| Deportivo Lara | | | 2–0 | | | | 2–1 | 3–1 | | 1–0 | | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 6–1 | 1–0 | | |
| Deportivo Petare | 1–0 | 0–0 | | 1–0 | 0–1 | | | | | | 2–4 | 0–1 | 0–0 | | | | 2–2 | 1–2 |
| Deportivo Táchira | | | | | | | 3–3 | | | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | | 1–0 |
| Estudiantes | | | 2–2 | | | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | | 1–2 | | 0–0 | | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | | |
| Llaneros | | 2–0 | | | | | 1–0 | | | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 1–0 |
| Mineros | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | | | 1–1 | | | | | | | | 3–1 | |
| Monagas | 0–0 | 2–1 | | 2–0 | 1–1 | | 2–0 | | | | 0–1 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | | | | 1–0 |
| Real Esppor | 1–1 | 0–0 | | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | | | 0–0 | | 0–1 | | | | | | 1–2 | 1–0 |
| Trujillanos | 2–1 | 3–0 | | 2–1 | 0–0 | | 0–0 | | | | 1–1 | | 0–2 | | | | 1–3 | 1–0 |
| Tucanes | | 1–2 | | | | | 2–2 | | | | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | | 0–1 | | 0–1 |
| Yaracuyanos | 1–0 | 2–0 | | 3–3 | | | 0–2 | | | | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | | | | 1–2 |
| Zamora | | | 2–1 | | | 1–3 | | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–0 | | 1–0 | | | 2–2 | 1–2 | | |
| Zulia | 1–3 | 1–0 | | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | | | 1–0 | | 1–0 | | | | | | 0–1 | |

## Aggregate table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Deportivo Lara | 34 | 25 | 8 | 1 | 71 | 24 | +47 | 83 | 2013 Copa Libertadores Second Stage and 2012 Copa Sudamericana First Stage |
| 2 | Caracas | 34 | 19 | 7 | 8 | 50 | 33 | +17 | 64 | 2013 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 3 | Deportivo Anzoátegui | 34 | 18 | 8 | 8 | 37 | 21 | +16 | 62 | 2013 Copa Libertadores First Stage |
| 4 | Mineros | 34 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 50 | 37 | +13 | 61 | 2012 Copa Sudamericana First Stage |
| 5 | Zulia | 34 | 16 | 6 | 12 | 42 | 33 | +9 | 54 | Qualified to the Serie Sudamericana |
| 6 | Deportivo Petare | 34 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 44 | 37 | +7 | 51 | Qualified to the Serie Sudamericana |
| 7 | Zamora | 34 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 46 | 41 | +5 | 48 | Qualified to the Serie Sudamericana |
| 8 | Yaracuyanos | 34 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 42 | 37 | +5 | 44 | Qualified to the Serie Sudamericana |
| 9 | Aragua | 34 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 31 | 36 | −5 | 44 | Qualified to the Serie Sudamericana |
| 10 | Trujillanos | 34 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 39 | 37 | +2 | 43 | Qualified to the Serie Sudamericana |
| 11 | Monagas | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 34 | 37 | −3 | 41 | Qualified to the Serie Sudamericana |
| 12 | Deportivo Táchira | 34 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 32 | 40 | −8 | 40 | Qualified to the Serie Sudamericana |
| 13 | Llaneros | 34 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 35 | 42 | −7 | 39 | |
| 14 | Real Esppor | 34 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 27 | 37 | −10 | 38 | |
| 15 | El Vigía | 34 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 28 | 49 | −21 | 33 | |
| 16 | Estudiantes | 34 | 5 | 15 | 14 | 32 | 56 | −24 | 30 | |
| 17 | Carabobo | 34 | 6 | 12 | 16 | 31 | 42 | −11 | 29 | Relegated to the Segunda División |
| 18 | Tucanes | 34 | 5 | 6 | 23 | 36 | 66 | −30 | 21 | Relegated to the Segunda División |
* ↑ Deportivo Lara qualified for the 2013 Copa Libertadores as the overall champion, and for the 2012 Copa Sudamericana as the best team in the aggregate table.
* 1 2 Since Deportivo Lara won both the Apertura and Clausura, the next two teams in the aggregate table qualified for the 2013 Copa Libertadores.
* ↑ Mineros de Guayana qualified for 2012 Copa Sudamericana as the winners of the 2011 Copa Venezuela.
* ↑ Carabobo deducted 1 point.

## Season top goalscorers

| Rank | Player | Nationality | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Rafael Castellín | Venezuelan | Deportivo Lara | 20 |
| 2 | Richard Blanco | Venezuelan | Deportivo Petare | 14 |
| 3 | Heiber Díaz | Venezuelan | Carabobo | 13 |
| 4 | Víctor Renteria | Colombian | Tucanes | 12 |
| 5 | Alexander Rondón | Venezuelan | Aragua | 11 |
| 5 | Fernando Aristeguieta | Venezuelan | Caracas | 11 |
| 7 | Edgar Pérez Greco | Venezuelan | Deportivo Lara | 10 |
| 7 | Jorge Rojas | Venezuelan | Mineros | 10 |
| 7 | Julio Gutiérrez | Chilean | Mineros | 10 |
| 7 | Edder Farías | Venezuelan | Monagas | 10 |
Source:

## Serie Final

Because Deportivo Lara won both the Apertura and Clausura, the Serie Final was not played, and Deportivo Lara was declared champion automatically.

## Serie Sudamericana

Other than the teams which already qualify for the Copa Libertadores (Apertura and Clausura champions and the best-placed team in the aggregate table) and the Copa Sudamericana (Copa Venezuela champion), the eight best-placed teams in the aggregate table will contest in the Serie Sudamericana for the remaining two berths to the Copa Sudamericana, which qualify the two winners to the First Stage.
In the first round, the matchups are:
* Match A (1 vs. 8)
* Match B (2 vs. 7)
* Match C (3 vs. 6)
* Match D (4 vs. 5)
In the second round, the matchups are:
* Winner A vs. Winner C
* Winner B vs. Winner D
For the two second round winners, the team with the better record in the aggregate table will receive the Venezuela 3 berth, while the other team will receive the Venezuela 4 berth.

### First round
#### Match A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Deportivo Táchira | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 3 | Second Round |
| 2 | Zulia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 3 | |

#### Match B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Yaracuyanos | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 | Second Round |
| 2 | Aragua | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 1 | |

#### Match C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Monagas | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 | Second Round |
| 2 | Deportivo Petare | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 1 | |

#### Match D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Zamora | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 | Second Round |
| 2 | Trujillanos | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 | |

### Second round
#### Winner A vs. Winner C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Deportivo Táchira | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2012 Copa Sudamericana First Stage |
| 2 | Yaracuyanos | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |

#### Winner B vs. Winner D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Monagas | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2012 Copa Sudamericana First Stage |
| 2 | Zamora | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |