# 2020 Venezuelan Primera División season

The 2020 Primera División season, officially Liga de Fútbol Profesional Venezolano or Liga FUTVE, was the 39th professional season of the Venezuelan Primera División, Venezuela's top-flight football league. Caracas were the defending champions.
The competition was suspended on 12 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with all the results recorded until then voided on 15 May, and was reset starting from 14 October with a new format, ending on 15 December 2020. Deportivo La Guaira won their first league title, beating Deportivo Táchira by a score of 2–0 in the final played at Valencia.

## Format changes
### Original format

The league format changed for the 2020 season. No Apertura and Clausura tournaments would be held and the 20 teams would face each other in a home-and-away round-robin tournament, for a total of 38 matches per team. The top eight teams of the first stage would advance to the semi-final stage, depending on eligibility requirements for CONMEBOL tournaments. The bottom two teams would be relegated. In the semi-final stage, the eight teams would be divided in two groups of four teams each, facing the other teams in their group twice. The two group winners would advance to the Serie Final to decide the league champions.

### New format

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league was suspended on 12 March. On 15 May, the FVF announced the permanent suspension of the competition, with all first stage matches being voided.
On 18 September, a new format was announced by the FVF and the Liga FUTVE, with the teams divided in two groups, playing each other twice. The group winners decided the league champions in a single match, and the next three teams of each group were awarded the remaining berths for CONMEBOL tournaments. Matches were played in Barinas, Puerto Cabello and Valencia. Relegation was suspended until 2021. Due to the format change of the Copa Sudamericana, the play-offs to decide the order of berths for the tournament were not played.

## Teams

On 24 January, Llaneros was administratively relegated to the Segunda División by FVF as ordered by FIFA due to a lawsuit by former player Leonardo Ossa, whom the club failed to pay an outstanding debt. Llaneros played in the second tier during the 2020 season, therefore the league was contested by 19 teams.
Zulia and LALA withdrew from the competition on 7 September due to safety concerns caused by the pandemic.

### Stadia and locations

Relegated to 2020 Segunda División :
| 16 | Llaneros (administrative relegation) |
| 19 | Estudiantes de Caracas |
| 20 | Deportivo Anzoátegui |
Promoted to 2020 Primera División :
| 1 | Yaracuyanos |
| 2 | GV Maracay |
| Team | Manager | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| Academia Puerto Cabello | Carlos Maldonado | Puerto Cabello | La Bombonerita | 7,500 |
| Aragua | Enrique García | Maracay | Olímpico Hermanos Ghersi Páez | 14,000 |
| Atlético Venezuela | Jair Díaz | Caracas | Brígido Iriarte | 10,000 |
| Atlético Venezuela | Jair Díaz | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV | 23,940 |
| Carabobo | José Parada | Valencia | Misael Delgado | 10,400 |
| Carabobo | José Parada | San Felipe | Florentino Oropeza | 10,000 |
| Caracas | Noel Sanvicente | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV | 23,940 |
| Deportivo La Guaira | Daniel Farías | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV | 23,940 |
| Deportivo Lara | Leonardo González | Cabudare | Metropolitano de Cabudare | 47,913 |
| Deportivo Lara | Leonardo González | Barquisimeto | Farid Richa | 12,480 |
| Deportivo Táchira | Juan Tolisano | San Cristóbal | Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo | 38,755 |
| Estudiantes de Mérida | Martín Brignani | Mérida | Metropolitano de Mérida | 42,200 |
| Estudiantes de Mérida | Martín Brignani | Mérida | Guillermo Soto Rosa | 14,000 |
| GV Maracay | Bladimir Morales | Maracay | Giuseppe Antonelli | 7,500 |
| GV Maracay | Bladimir Morales | San Felipe | Florentino Oropeza | 10,000 |
| LALA | Rubén Yori | Ciudad Guayana | Polideportivo Cachamay | 41,600 |
| Metropolitanos | José María Morr | Caracas | Olímpico de la UCV | 23,940 |
| Mineros de Guayana | Leonel Vielma | Ciudad Guayana | Polideportivo Cachamay | 41,600 |
| Monagas | Jhonny Ferreira | Maturín | Monumental de Maturín | 51,796 |
| Portuguesa | Alí Cañas | Acarigua | General José Antonio Páez | 18,000 |
| Trujillanos | Martín Carrillo | Valera | José Alberto Pérez | 25,000 |
| Yaracuyanos | Jesús Alonso Cabello | San Felipe | Florentino Oropeza | 10,000 |
| Zamora | Luis Terán (caretaker) | Barinas | Agustín Tovar | 29,800 |
| Zulia | Alex García King | Maracaibo | José "Pachencho" Romero | 40,800 |
* ↑ Used by Atlético Venezuela as temporary home stadium while Estadio Brígido Iriarte is being remodeled.
* ↑ Used by Carabobo as home stadium for their matches against Gran Valencia and Monagas while Estadio Misael Delgado was being remodeled.
* ↑ Used by Deportivo Lara as temporary home stadium while Estadio Metropolitano de Cabudare is being remodeled.
* ↑ Used by Estudiantes de Mérida as temporary home stadium while Estadio Metropolitano de Mérida was being remodeled.
* ↑ Used by GV Maracay as home stadium for their matches against Yaracuyanos and Mineros.

#### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Original tournament |||||||
| Carabobo | Jhonny Ferreira | Mutual consent | 11 December 2019 | Pre-season | Tony Franco | 13 December 2019 |
| Monagas | May Montoya | End of caretaker spell | 12 December 2019 | Pre-season | Jhonny Ferreira | 12 December 2019 |
| Mineros | Laydeker Navas | End of caretaker spell | 14 December 2019 | Pre-season | Richard Páez | 14 December 2019 |
| Zamora | Rubén Benítez | End of caretaker spell | 24 December 2019 | Pre-season | José Manuel Rey | 24 December 2019 |
| Zulia | Alexander Rondón | Replaced | 3 January | Pre-season | Alex García King | 3 January |
| LALA | Del Valle Rojas | Sacked | 16 January | Pre-season | Rubén Yori | 21 January |
| New tournament |||||||
| Mineros | Richard Páez | Resigned | 30 June | Pre-tournament | Leonel Vielma | 13 October |
| Portuguesa | José Parada | Sacked | 1 September | Pre-tournament | Alí Cañas | 3 September |
| Carabobo | Tony Franco | Mutual consent | 29 October | 7th, Group A | José Parada | 29 October |
| Atlético Venezuela | Henry Meléndez | Mutual consent | 31 October | 9th, Group A | Jair Díaz | 1 November |
| Zamora | José Manuel Rey | Sacked | 8 December | 5th, Group B | Luis Terán (caretaker) | 9 December |

## Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on 12 March the Liga FUTVE announced the suspension of the seventh round of matches, scheduled for the weekend of 14–15 March. That same day, the FVF announced the suspension of every footballing activity in the country. On 15 March, the Liga FUTVE cancelled a meeting originally scheduled for 18 March and also confirmed the indefinite suspension of the Primera División tournament.
On 15 May, and after an emergency meeting held the previous day via video conference, the FVF announced the "permanent suspension" of the Primera and Segunda División seasons due to the inability to resume play under the conditions initially stated in the league regulations, effectively voiding the standings and results of matches played up until the suspension of the season. At the same time, the Federation's Commission of Club Competitions was tasked with elaborating a new tournament with a format and regulations suited to the necessary conditions for its execution, considering the application of sporting merit, club licensing requirements, and medical protocols. That same day, the Liga FUTVE issued a statement in which it rejected the suspension and voiding of the results of the 2020 season by the FVF, stating that the decision was made without consulting the league nor the teams, which was deemed to be as "a disrespect as well as putting at risk the economic and sports stability" of sports institutions.
In early June both the FVF and the Liga FUTVE presented, on their own, proposals to resume the competition. While the organization administering the league proposed to resume the tournament at the point at which it was suspended and play a single round-robin instead of a double round-robin as originally planned, with matches played only in the Carabobo state, the governing body proposed to play a new tournament from scratch with the teams split into two groups according to geographical proximity. On 14 June, the Venezuelan government authorized clubs to resume their training sessions starting from 15 June under biosecurity protocols and announced that the organizers of the football league had to put together a plan along with the National Institute of Sport (IND) to establish the new schedule and dates for the competition. Activities were also restricted to the "Carabobo-Yaracuy axis" as those were two of the states with the lowest rates of infection for COVID-19. However, following a letter sent to the FVF by FIFA in which it confirmed that the power to organize the national football league rested in the national governing body, on 10 July the Liga FUTVE decided to withdraw their proposal to resume the competition, leaving the responsibility to organize the tournament on the FVF.
On 7 September, Zulia announced that they would not be taking part in the tournament, arguing that the adequate biosecurity conditions were not in place to resume activities. That same day, LALA also declined to take part due to the same issues raised by Zulia.
The new format was announced on 18 September, with the group stage taking place in Barinas, Puerto Cabello and Valencia.

## First stage

The first stage began on 30 January. Each team would play each other twice for 36 matchdays. It was scheduled to end on 25 October with the top eight teams advancing to the semi-finals and the bottom team being relegated. The first stage standings and matches up to the suspension of the league on 12 March were voided by the FVF on 15 May.

### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Zamora | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 2 | +8 | 16 |
| 2 | Caracas | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 2 | +10 | 14 |
| 3 | Deportivo Lara | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 13 |
| 4 | Monagas | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 4 | +6 | 12 |
| 5 | Atlético Venezuela | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 11 |
| 6 | Estudiantes de Mérida | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 10 |
| 7 | Deportivo La Guaira | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 8 |
| 8 | Trujillanos | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 9 | Zulia | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 7 |
| 10 | Aragua | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| 11 | Academia Puerto Cabello | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 6 |
| 12 | Metropolitanos | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 11 | −2 | 6 |
| 13 | Yaracuyanos | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 6 |
| 14 | Mineros de Guayana | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 6 |
| 15 | Carabobo | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 6 |
| 16 | Portuguesa | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 5 |
| 17 | Deportivo Táchira | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 4 |
| 18 | GV Maracay | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | −6 | 2 |
| 19 | LALA | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 1 |

### Results

| Home \ Away | APC | ARA | AVE | CBO | CAR | DLG | LAR | TAC | ESM | GVM | LAL | MET | MIN | MON | POR | TRU | YAR | ZAM | ZUL |
| Academia Puerto Cabello | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0–0 | — |
| Aragua | — | — | — | — | 0–1 | — | 0–1 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Atlético Venezuela | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | 2–1 | — | 2–2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Carabobo | — | — | — | — | — | 0–0 | — | — | — | 0–0 | — | — | — | 0–0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Caracas | 1–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4–0 |
| Deportivo La Guaira | — | — | — | — | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–0 | — | 2–2 | — | — |
| Deportivo Lara | 3–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–1 |
| Deportivo Táchira | 0–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | — | 0–2 | — |
| Estudiantes de Mérida | — | — | 2–1 | 4–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| GV Maracay | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1–2 | — | — | — | 0–0 | — | — |
| LALA | — | — | — | — | — | 1–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1–1 | — | 0–1 | — | — | — |
| Metropolitanos | — | 1–3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | 3–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mineros de Guayana | — | — | 0–1 | 0–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Monagas | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3–0 | — | — | — | — | 2–0 | — | 2–1 | — | — |
| Portuguesa | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0–0 | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2–2 |
| Trujillanos | — | — | — | — | 0–0 | — | 0–0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — |
| Yaracuyanos | — | — | 0–0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | 0–2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Zamora | — | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | 3–1 | — | — | — | 2–0 | — | — | — |
| Zulia | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |

## Torneo de Normalización
### Group stage

The 17 teams were drawn into two groups: one group of nine teams, hosted in Puerto Cabello and Valencia, and one group of eight teams, hosted in Barinas. The top teams in each group advanced to the Final to decide the league champions, the group runners-up decided their starting round in the Copa Libertadores qualifying stages, and the third and fourth placed teams qualified for the Copa Sudamericana. The draw was held on 18 September 2020.

#### Group A

Group A was played at La Bombonerita in Puerto Cabello and Estadio Misael Delgado in Valencia.

##### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Deportivo La Guaira | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 11 | +14 | 33 | Advance to the Final and qualification for the Copa Libertadores group stage |
| 2 | Deportivo Lara | 16 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 27 | 9 | +18 | 32 | Advance to the third place play-off and qualification for the Copa Libertadores qualifying stages |
| 3 | Academia Puerto Cabello (H) | 16 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 22 | 15 | +7 | 26 | Qualification for the Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 4 | Mineros de Guayana | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 24 | Qualification for the Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 5 | Yaracuyanos | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 18 | 19 | −1 | 21 | |
| 6 | Estudiantes de Mérida | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 20 | |
| 7 | Trujillanos | 16 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 25 | −6 | 18 | |
| 8 | Atlético Venezuela | 16 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 28 | −11 | 15 | |
| 9 | Carabobo (H) | 16 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 35 | −21 | 6 | |

##### Results

| Home \ Away | APC | AVE | CBO | DLG | LAR | ESM | MIN | TRU | YAR |
| Academia Puerto Cabello | — | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 |
| Atlético Venezuela | 2–2 | — | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| Carabobo | 0–3 | 0–0 | — | 0–2 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 |
| Deportivo La Guaira | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 |
| Deportivo Lara | 0–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | — | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 |
| Estudiantes de Mérida | 1–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | — | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
| Mineros | 0–2 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–3 | — | 2–1 | 3–1 |
| Trujillanos | 0–4 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | — | 1–2 |
| Yaracuyanos | 0–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | — |

#### Group B

Group B was played at Estadio Agustín Tovar in Barinas.

##### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Deportivo Táchira | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 8 | +12 | 31 | Advance to the Final and qualification for the Copa Libertadores group stage |
| 2 | Caracas | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 9 | +16 | 30 | Advance to the third place play-off and qualification for the Copa Libertadores qualifying stages |
| 3 | Aragua | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 22 | Qualification for the Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 4 | Metropolitanos | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 20 | 17 | +3 | 21 | Qualification for the Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 5 | Zamora (H) | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 14 | +1 | 17 | |
| 6 | GV Maracay | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 24 | −13 | 13 | |
| 7 | Portuguesa | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 23 | −14 | 11 | |
| 8 | Monagas | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 15 | 23 | −8 | 10 | |

##### Results

| Home \ Away | ARA | CAR | TAC | GVM | MET | MON | POR | ZAM |
| Aragua | — | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–1 |
| Caracas | 0–1 | — | 0–0 | 6–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Deportivo Táchira | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 0–3 |
| GV Maracay | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–3 | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 |
| Metropolitanos | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 4–2 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 |
| Monagas | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | — | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| Portuguesa | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 3–2 | — | 2–1 |
| Zamora | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | — |

### Third place play-off

The winner qualified for the Copa Libertadores second stage, while the loser qualified for the first stage of said competition.

### Final

The final was a single match at a neutral venue, played on 15 December 2020. The winners were crowned as the league champions.

## Aggregate table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Qualification |
| 1 | Deportivo Táchira | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 8 | +12 | 31 | 2.21 | Qualification for the Copa Libertadores group stage |
| 2 | Caracas | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 9 | +16 | 30 | 2.14 | Qualification for the Copa Libertadores first stage |
| 3 | Deportivo La Guaira (C) | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 11 | +14 | 33 | 2.06 | Qualification for the Copa Libertadores group stage |
| 4 | Deportivo Lara | 16 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 27 | 9 | +18 | 32 | 2.00 | Qualification for the Copa Libertadores second stage |
| 5 | Academia Puerto Cabello (H) | 16 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 22 | 15 | +7 | 26 | 1.63 | Qualification for the Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 6 | Aragua | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 22 | 1.57 | Qualification for the Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 7 | Metropolitanos | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 20 | 17 | +3 | 21 | 1.50 | Qualification for the Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 8 | Mineros de Guayana | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 24 | 1.50 | Qualification for the Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 9 | Yaracuyanos | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 18 | 19 | −1 | 21 | 1.31 | |
| 10 | Estudiantes de Mérida | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 20 | 1.25 | |
| 11 | Zamora (H) | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 14 | +1 | 17 | 1.21 | |
| 12 | Trujillanos | 16 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 25 | −6 | 18 | 1.13 | |
| 13 | Atlético Venezuela | 16 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 28 | −11 | 15 | 0.94 | |
| 14 | GV Maracay | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 24 | −13 | 13 | 0.93 | |
| 15 | Portuguesa | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 23 | −14 | 11 | 0.79 | |
| 16 | Monagas | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 15 | 23 | −8 | 10 | 0.71 | |
| 17 | Carabobo (H) | 16 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 35 | −21 | 6 | 0.38 | |

## Top goalscorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Richard Blanco | Mineros | 8 |
| 1 | Edder Farías | Atlético Venezuela | 8 |
| 3 | José Rivas | Estudiantes de Mérida | 7 |
| 3 | Aquiles Ocanto | Deportivo La Guaira | 7 |
| 3 | Matías Lacava | Academia Puerto Cabello | 7 |
| 3 | José Hernández | Trujillanos | 7 |
| 7 | Joel Infante | GV Maracay | 6 |
| 8 | Daniel Pérez | Metropolitanos | 5 |
| 8 | Freddy Vargas | Deportivo Lara | 5 |
| 8 | Joantony Carmona | Trujillanos | 5 |
| 8 | Ángel Sánchez | Deportivo Lara | 5 |
| 8 | Brayan Hurtado | Mineros | 5 |
| 8 | Charlis Ortiz | Deportivo La Guaira | 5 |
Source: Liga FUTVE