# 2016 Venezuelan Primera División season

The 2016 Primera División season was the 35th professional season of Venezuela's top-flight football league.

## Teams

| Team | City | Stadium |
| Aragua | Maracay | Olímpico Hermanos Ghersi Páez |
| Atlético Venezuela | Caracas | Brígido Iriarte |
| Carabobo | Valencia | Misael Delgado |
| Caracas | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV Cocodrilos Sports Park$^a$ |
| Deportivo Anzoátegui | Puerto La Cruz | José Antonio Anzoátegui |
| Deportivo JBL | Maracaibo | José "Pachencho" Romero |
| Deportivo La Guaira | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV Metropolitano de Cabudare$^a$ |
| Deportivo Lara | Cabudare | Metropolitano de Cabudare |
| Deportivo Táchira | San Cristóbal | Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo |
| Estudiantes de Caracas | Caracas | Brígido Iriarte |
| Estudiantes de Mérida | Mérida | Metropolitano de Mérida |
| Llaneros | Guanare | Rafael Calles Pinto |
| Mineros | Ciudad Guayana | Polideportivo Cachamay |
| Monagas | Maturín | Monumental de Maturín |
| Petare | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV Cocodrilos Sports Park$^a$ |
| Portuguesa | Acarigua | General José Antonio Paez |
| Trujillanos | Valera | José Alberto Pérez |
| Ureña | Ureña | Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo |
| Zamora | Barinas | Agustín Tovar |
| Zulia | Maracaibo | José "Pachencho" Romero |
a: Used for most of the Torneo Clausura as home stadium due to remodeling works at Estadio Olímpico de la UCV.

## Torneo Apertura

The Torneo Apertura was the first tournament of the season. It began in January 2016 and ended in May 2016.

### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Zamora | 19 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 39 | 18 | +21 | 40 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Deportivo Táchira | 19 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 27 | 13 | +14 | 38 | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | Deportivo Anzoátegui | 19 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 25 | 23 | +2 | 32 | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | Mineros | 19 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 38 | 27 | +11 | 30 | Quarterfinals |
| 5 | Caracas | 19 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 23 | 15 | +8 | 30 | Quarterfinals |
| 6 | Deportivo La Guaira | 19 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 28 | 22 | +6 | 30 | Quarterfinals |
| 7 | Aragua | 19 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 27 | 22 | +5 | 29 | Quarterfinals |
| 8 | Trujillanos | 19 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 22 | 17 | +5 | 29 | Quarterfinals |
| 9 | Zulia | 19 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 25 | 21 | +4 | 28 | |
| 10 | Carabobo | 19 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 27 | 22 | +5 | 27 | |
| 11 | Deportivo Lara | 19 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 25 | 22 | +3 | 26 | |
| 12 | Deportivo JBL | 19 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 23 | 20 | +3 | 26 | |
| 13 | Ureña | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 20 | 25 | −5 | 23 | |
| 14 | Estudiantes de Mérida | 19 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 20 | 35 | −15 | 22 | |
| 15 | Portuguesa | 19 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 17 | 21 | −4 | 19 | |
| 16 | Atlético Venezuela | 19 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 22 | 28 | −6 | 19 | |
| 17 | Monagas | 19 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 31 | −16 | 17 | |
| 18 | Llaneros | 19 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 25 | −13 | 16 | |
| 19 | Petare | 19 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 24 | −13 | 15 | |
| 20 | Estudiantes de Caracas | 19 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 19 | 34 | −15 | 13 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | ARA | AVE | CBO | CRC | DAN | JBL | DLG | LAR | DTA | ECA | EME | LLA | MGU | MON | PET | POR | TRU | URE | ZAM | ZUL |
| Aragua | | 3–3 | 2–2 | | | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | | | | | 0–0 | | | | | 2–2 | |
| Atlético Venezuela | | | | 0–0 | 0–1 | | 1–2 | | | 0–0 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | | 1–0 | | | 1–2 | 2–2 | |
| Carabobo | | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 2–0 | | 1–1 | | | 3–0 | 2–1 | | 0–1 | 4–0 | | 0–0 | | | 3–2 | |
| Caracas | 1–0 | | | | 1–1 | | | | | 2–0 | 2–3 | | 2–2 | | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 2–1 | | 1–0 |
| Deportivo Anzoátegui | 2–2 | | | | | 1–0 | | 2–1 | 1–1 | | | 3–1 | | | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | | 2–2 |
| Deportivo JBL | | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | | | 2–1 | | | 2–2 | 1–2 | | 0–1 | 1–0 | | 0–0 | | | 1–2 | |
| Deportivo La Guaira | | | | 0–0 | 1–1 | | | | | 2–1 | 3–1 | | 2–1 | | 3–1 | | 2–0 | 1–1 | | 3–2 |
| Deportivo Lara | | 3–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 2–1 | | | 4–1 | | | 1–3 | 2–0 | | 1–1 | | | 3–1 | |
| Deportivo Táchira | | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | | | | | 1–0 | 3–0 | | 1–1 | | | 1–2 | |
| Estudiantes de Caracas | 2–3 | | | | 2–3 | | | | 0–1 | | 3–2 | 1–1 | | | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | | 0–2 |
| Estudiantes de Mérida | 1–0 | | | | 1–2 | | | 2–1 | 1–4 | | | 1–0 | | | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | | 0–2 |
| Llaneros | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 0–1 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | | | | | 0–1 | | | | | 0–0 | |
| Mineros | 1–2 | | | | 4–1 | | | | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 5–2 | | | 6–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–3 | | 2–2 |
| Monagas | | 2–3 | | 0–4 | 0–2 | | 1–3 | | | 0–0 | 4–0 | | 1–3 | | 1–0 | | | | 0–3 | |
| Petare | 0–1 | | 1–1 | | | 1–0 | | 0–0 | 0–1 | | | 1–0 | | | | 0–3 | 0–0 | 2–0 | | 0–0 |
| Portuguesa | 2–2 | 2–1 | | 0–0 | | | 1–1 | | | | | 2–2 | | 0–0 | | | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
| Trujillanos | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | | | 1–2 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | | | 3–0 | | 1–1 | | | | | | 2–1 |
| Ureña | 0–2 | | 2–1 | | | 2–1 | | 0–0 | 0–2 | | | 0–0 | | 0–2 | | | 1–0 | | | 1–1 |
| Zamora | | | | 1–1 | 3–0 | | 2–0 | | | 2–1 | 5–0 | | 3–0 | | 1–0 | | 3–1 | 3–1 | | |
| Zulia | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | | | 0–1 | | 3–1 | 1–3 | | | 0–0 | | 2–2 | | | | | 1–0 | |

### Knockout bracket

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Zamora (a) | 3 | 0 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Trujillanos | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Trujillanos | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Zamora | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | Caracas | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | |
| 4 | Deportivo La Guaira | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | Caracas | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | |
| 5 | Caracas | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Caracas | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | 1 | Zamora | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Deportivo Anzoátegui | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | Deportivo Anzoátegui | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Deportivo Anzoátegui | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | Mineros | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Mineros | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | Deportivo Anzoátegui | 1 | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 7 | Aragua | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | |
| 2 | Deportivo Táchira | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | Aragua | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | | | |
| 7 | Aragua | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Top goalscorers

| Rank | Name | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Gabriel Torres | Zamora | 15 |
| 2 | Johan Arrieche | Mineros | 11 |
| 3 | Richard Blanco | Mineros | 8 |
| 3 | Miguel Camargo | Mineros | 8 |
| 3 | Juan García | Estudiantes de Caracas | 8 |
| 3 | Aquiles Ocanto | Carabobo | 8 |
| 3 | Víctor Rentería | Ureña | 8 |
| 3 | José Miguel Reyes | Deportivo Táchira | 8 |
Source: Soccerway

## Torneo Clausura

The Torneo Clausura will be the second tournament of the season. It began in July 2016 and will end in December 2016.

### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Carabobo | 19 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 37 | 15 | +22 | 42 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Atlético Venezuela | 19 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 29 | 18 | +11 | 35 | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | Monagas | 19 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 33 | 23 | +10 | 33 | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | Caracas | 19 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 36 | 19 | +17 | 31 | Quarterfinals |
| 5 | Deportivo La Guaira | 19 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 29 | 19 | +10 | 30 | Quarterfinals |
| 6 | Deportivo Táchira | 19 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 22 | 26 | −4 | 30 | Quarterfinals |
| 7 | Zulia | 19 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 30 | 21 | +9 | 29 | Quarterfinals |
| 8 | Deportivo Lara | 19 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 29 | Quarterfinals |
| 9 | Deportivo Anzoátegui | 19 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 29 | |
| 10 | Estudiantes de Mérida | 19 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 25 | −4 | 28 | |
| 11 | Zamora | 19 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 29 | 20 | +9 | 27 | |
| 12 | Portuguesa | 19 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 23 | 20 | +3 | 24 | |
| 13 | Aragua | 19 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 21 | 27 | −6 | 22 | |
| 14 | Mineros | 19 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 25 | −2 | 21 | |
| 15 | Deportivo JBL | 19 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 20 | 19 | +1 | 20 | |
| 16 | Trujillanos | 19 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 23 | 32 | −9 | 19 | |
| 17 | Llaneros | 19 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 19 | 33 | −14 | 18 | |
| 18 | Estudiantes de Caracas | 19 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 13 | 32 | −19 | 18 | |
| 19 | Ureña | 19 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 21 | 41 | −20 | 18 | |
| 20 | Petare | 19 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 29 | −14 | 17 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | ARA | AVE | CBO | CRC | DAN | JBL | DLG | LAR | DTA | ECA | EME | LLA | MGU | MON | PET | POR | TRU | URE | ZAM | ZUL |
| Aragua | | | | 2–1 | 0–1 | | | | | 2–2 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–4 | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | | 2–3 |
| Atlético Venezuela | 1–2 | | 1–0 | | | 2–1 | | 3–2 | 3–0 | | | 1–0 | | 1–2 | | 2–0 | 1–1 | | | 2–1 |
| Carabobo | 4–1 | | | | | 2–0 | | 1–0 | 3–0 | | | 3–1 | | | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 1–1 | | 4–2 |
| Caracas | | 1–1 | 3–3 | | | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | | | 3–0 | | 4–1 | | 1–1 | | | 0–0 | |
| Deportivo Anzoátegui | | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–3 | | | 0–1 | | | 2–0 | 1–1 | | 2–0 | 2–1 | | | | | 2–1 | |
| Deportivo JBL | 0–0 | | | | 1–2 | | | 0–1 | 0–1 | | | 0–0 | | | 3–0 | | 3–0 | 3–0 | | 0–0 |
| Deportivo La Guaira | 1–0 | 3–3 | 1–0 | | | 1–0 | | 1–2 | 2–1 | | | 2–0 | | 0–2 | | 0–0 | | | 1–1 | |
| Deportivo Lara | 1–0 | | | | 1–0 | | | | 0–2 | | 1–0 | 4–1 | | | 0–2 | | 1–2 | 1–2 | | 1–0 |
| Deportivo Táchira | 2–0 | | | | 2–0 | | | | | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | | | 2–0 | | 3–2 | 2–1 | | 1–1 |
| Estudiantes de Caracas | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | | 1–0 | 0–4 | 0–1 | | | | | 1–0 | 0–2 | | | | | 0–1 | |
| Estudiantes de Mérida | | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–5 | | 2–1 | 2–1 | | | 4–1 | | | 1–0 | 0–1 | | | | | 1–0 | |
| Llaneros | | | | | 1–0 | | | | | 4–0 | 2–0 | | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | | 1–1 |
| Mineros | | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | | | | | 1–1 | | | | | 1–4 | |
| Monagas | 2–1 | | 0–3 | | | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 4–0 | | | 6–1 | | | | 2–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | | 0–1 |
| Petare | | 0–3 | | 0–2 | 1–3 | | 1–0 | | | 0–1 | 0–0 | | 0–0 | 2–1 | | | | | 3–2 | |
| Portuguesa | | | 2–1 | | 3–2 | 1–1 | | 1–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–2 | | 0–0 | | 2–0 | | | | | |
| Trujillanos | | | | 1–5 | 1–1 | | 2–2 | | | 2–3 | 1–3 | | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 3–2 | | 2–0 | 2–0 | |
| Ureña | | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 1–5 | | 0–6 | | | 2–0 | 1–2 | | 2–2 | | 2–0 | 0–0 | | | 2–7 | |
| Zamora | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | | | 1–2 | | 2–1 | 3–1 | | | 1–0 | | 2–0 | | 0–0 | | | | 1–2 |
| Zulia | | | | 2–2 | 4–0 | | 1–1 | | | 1–0 | 5–0 | | 1–1 | | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | | |

### Knockout bracket

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 2 | Atlético Venezuela | 3 | 0 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Deportivo Lara | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Deportivo Lara | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Atlético Venezuela | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 6 | Deportivo Táchira | 3 | 0 | 3 | | | | | |
| 3 | Monagas | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | Deportivo Táchira | 3 | 0 | 3 | | | | | |
| 6 | Deportivo Táchira | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Deportivo Táchira | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | 6 | Deportivo Táchira | 0 | 2 | 2 (6) |
| | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Zulia (p) | 2 | 0 | 2 (7) |
| 4 | Caracas | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Zulia (p) | 2 | 0 | 2 (7) |
| 5 | Deportivo La Guaira | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Deportivo La Guaira | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Caracas | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 8 | Zulia | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| 1 | Carabobo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Zulia | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| 8 | Zulia | 3 | 0 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Top goalscorers

| Rank | Name | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Edder Farías | Caracas | 12 |
| 2 | Armando Maita | Monagas | 10 |
| 3 | Christian Novoa | Carabobo | 9 |
| 3 | Jefferson Savarino | Zulia | 9 |
| 4 | Richard Blanco | Zamora | 8 |
| 4 | Reiner Castro | Caracas | 8 |
| 4 | Joel Infante | Atlético Venezuela | 8 |
| 4 | Charlis Ortiz | Deportivo Anzoátegui | 8 |
| 4 | Luz Rodríguez | Estudiantes de Mérida | 8 |
Source: Soccerway

## Serie Final

Zamora won 4–2 on aggregate.

## Aggregate table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Carabobo | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 64 | 37 | +27 | 69 | 2017 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 2 | Deportivo Táchira | 38 | 20 | 8 | 10 | 49 | 39 | +10 | 68 | 2017 Copa Libertadores First Stage |
| 3 | Zamora (C) | 38 | 20 | 7 | 11 | 68 | 38 | +30 | 67 | 2017 Copa Libertadores Group Stage |
| 4 | Caracas | 38 | 15 | 16 | 7 | 59 | 34 | +25 | 61 | 2017 Copa Sudamericana First Stage |
| 5 | Deportivo Anzoátegui | 38 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 50 | 48 | +2 | 61 | 2016 Copa Sudamericana First Stage and 2017 Copa Sudamericana First Stage |
| 6 | Deportivo La Guaira | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 57 | 41 | +16 | 60 | |
| 7 | Zulia | 38 | 14 | 15 | 9 | 55 | 42 | +13 | 57 | 2017 Copa Libertadores Group Stage |
| 8 | Deportivo Lara | 38 | 16 | 7 | 15 | 46 | 43 | +3 | 55 | |
| 9 | Atlético Venezuela | 38 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 51 | 46 | +5 | 54 | 2017 Copa Sudamericana First Stage |
| 10 | Mineros | 38 | 12 | 15 | 11 | 61 | 52 | +9 | 51 | |
| 11 | Aragua | 38 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 48 | 49 | −1 | 51 | |
| 12 | Monagas | 38 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 48 | 54 | −6 | 50 | |
| 13 | Estudiantes de Mérida | 38 | 15 | 5 | 18 | 41 | 60 | −19 | 50 | |
| 14 | Trujillanos | 38 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 45 | 49 | −4 | 48 | |
| 15 | Deportivo JBL | 38 | 13 | 7 | 18 | 43 | 39 | +4 | 46 | |
| 16 | Portuguesa | 38 | 8 | 19 | 11 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 43 | |
| 17 | Ureña (R) | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 41 | 66 | −25 | 41 | Relegation to Venezuelan Segunda División |
| 18 | Llaneros (R) | 38 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 31 | 58 | −27 | 34 | Relegation to Venezuelan Segunda División |
| 19 | Petare (R) | 38 | 7 | 11 | 20 | 26 | 53 | −27 | 32 | Relegation to Venezuelan Segunda División |
| 20 | Estudiantes de Caracas (R) | 38 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 32 | 66 | −34 | 31 | 2017 Copa Sudamericana First Stage and relegation to Venezuelan Segunda División |
* ↑ Estudiantes de Caracas are qualified for the 2017 Copa Sudamericana as Copa Venezuela runners-up.

## Best of the Year

The Uruguayan newspaper El País chose the best player, manager and club of the 2016 season.
* Player of the Year: Jefferson Savarino.
* Manager of the Year: Francesco Stifano.
* Club of the Year: Zamora FC.

## Team of the Year

The newly formed AUFP chose the team of the year.