# 1972 Argentine Primera División

The 1972 Primera División season was the 81st season of top-flight football in Argentina. Banfield was penalised with a 4-month suspension and the subsequent points deduction after a proved bribe. The case referred back to the 1971 Metropolitano when Banfield was about to be relegated along with Los Andes. A Banfield executive offered Ferro Carril Oeste players (their rivals in the last fixture of the tournament) a high amount of money to fix the match. Nevertheless, the meeting was reported to the police who arrested the executive. Banfield would be then penalised by the AFA.
With Lanús (1970 Primera B Metropolitana champions) as the only team promoted from the lower division, San Lorenzo won both tournaments, Metropolitano and Nacional (9th and 10th league titles). San Lorenzo and River Plate (Torneo Nacional champion and runner-up) qualified for the 1973 Copa Libertadores. On the other hand, Banfield and Lanús were relegated via Torneo Reclasificatorio.

## Metropolitano Championship
### Final standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | San Lorenzo | 34 | 18 | 13 | 3 | 59 | 33 | +26 | 49 | Champion |
| 2 | Racing | 34 | 14 | 15 | 5 | 56 | 44 | +12 | 43 | |
| 3 | Huracán | 34 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 66 | 49 | +17 | 40 | |
| 3 | River Plate | 34 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 64 | 52 | +12 | 40 | |
| 5 | Vélez Sársfield | 34 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 59 | 50 | +9 | 39 | |
| 6 | Rosario Central | 34 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 51 | 39 | +12 | 38 | |
| 7 | Newell's Old Boys | 34 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 49 | 49 | 0 | 38 | |
| 8 | Chacarita Juniors | 34 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 46 | 41 | +5 | 37 | |
| 9 | Boca Juniors | 34 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 56 | 44 | +12 | 36 | |
| 10 | Colón | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 51 | 52 | −1 | 36 | |
| 11 | Independiente | 34 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 47 | 48 | −1 | 35 | |
| 12 | Argentinos Juniors | 34 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 52 | 37 | +15 | 34 | |
| 13 | Estudiantes (LP) | 34 | 14 | 5 | 15 | 40 | 52 | −12 | 33 | to Reclasificatorio |
| 14 | Atlanta | 34 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 43 | 54 | −11 | 31 | to Reclasificatorio |
| 15 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 34 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 40 | 55 | −15 | 26 | to Reclasificatorio |
| 16 | Ferro Carril Oeste | 34 | 6 | 12 | 16 | 39 | 55 | −16 | 24 | to Reclasificatorio |
| 17 | Lanús | 34 | 3 | 6 | 25 | 35 | 71 | −36 | 12 | to Reclasificatorio |
| 18 | Banfield | 34 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 25 | 53 | −28 | 0 | to Reclasificatorio |
* ↑ 21 points were deducted after the team was suspended for four months, starting on March 16.

### Reclasificatorio Tournament

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Ferro Carril Oeste | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 10 | +6 | 8 |
| 2 | Atlanta | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 12 | +2 | 5 |
| 3 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 12 | −3 | 4 |
| 4 | Estudiantes (LP) | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 | −7 | 4 |
| 5 | Lanús | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 2 |
| 6 | Banfield | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 9 | +6 | 0 |
* ↑ 7 points were deducted after the team was suspended for four months, starting on March 16.

### Relegation table

To determine relegations of teams playing the Reclasificatorio, points earned in Metropolitano and Reclasificatorio were taken into account. The two clubs with the lowest points earned were relegated.
| Rank. | Team | Points Metrop. | Points Reclas. | Total points |
| 1 | Estudiantes (LP) | 33 | 4 | 37 |
| 2 | Atlanta | 31 | 5 | 36 |
| 3 | Ferro Carril Oeste | 24 | 8 | 32 |
| 4 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 26 | 4 | 30 |
| 5 | Lanús | 12 | 2 | 14 |
| 6 | Banfield | 0 | 7 | 7 |

### Top scorers

| Rank. | Player | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Miguel Brindisi | Huracán | 21 |
| 2 | Roque Avallay | Huracán | 17 |
| 3 | Carlos Bianchi | Vélez Sarsfield | 16 |
| 3 | Hugo Curioni | Boca Juniors | 16 |
| 4 | Rubén Ayala | San Lorenzo | 15 |

## Nacional Championship
### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | San Lorenzo | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 6 | +23 | 23 | Final |
| 2 | River Plate | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 50 | 23 | +27 | 22 | Semifinal |
| 3 | Vélez Sársfield | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 31 | 19 | +12 | 18 | |
| 4 | San Martín (M) | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 21 | +6 | 17 | |
| 5 | Atlanta | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 31 | 15 | +16 | 16 | |
| 6 | Rosario Central | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 28 | 18 | +10 | 14 | |
| 7 | Independiente | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 20 | +4 | 13 | |
| 8 | San Lorenzo (MdP) | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 28 | −4 | 12 | |
| 9 | Lanús | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 23 | −6 | 11 | |
| 10 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 24 | −11 | 9 | |
| 11 | San Martín (T) | 13 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 25 | −15 | 6 | |
| 12 | Bartolomé Mitre | 13 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 36 | −25 | 4 | |
| 13 | Independiente (T) | 13 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 46 | −36 | 3 | |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Boca Juniors | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 31 | 15 | +16 | 22 | Semifinal |
| 2 | Colón | 13 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 16 | +5 | 18 | |
| 3 | Argentinos Juniors | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 16 | +10 | 17 | |
| 4 | Huracán | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 26 | 20 | +6 | 16 | |
| 5 | Racing | 13 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 18 | +2 | 13 | |
| 6 | Belgrano | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 18 | +1 | 13 | |
| 7 | Banfield | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 23 | 27 | −4 | 13 | |
| 8 | Ferro Carril Oeste | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 12 | |
| 9 | Desamparados | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 25 | −10 | 12 | |
| 10 | Chacarita Juniors | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 19 | 18 | +1 | 11 | |
| 11 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (M) | 13 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 18 | 23 | −5 | 10 | |
| 12 | Estudiantes (LP) | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 25 | −13 | 8 | |
| 13 | Newell's Old Boys | 13 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 18 | 28 | −10 | 5 | |

### Semifinal

| Team 1 | Res. | Team 2 | Venue | City |
| River Plate | 3–2 | Boca Juniors | Vélez Sarsfield | Buenos Aires |

### Final

| Team 1 | Res. | Team 2 | Venue | City |
| San Lorenzo | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | River Plate | Vélez Sarsfield | Buenos Aires |

#### Match details

| San Lorenzo | River Plate |
| GK | 1 | Agustín Irusta |
| DF | 4 | Sergio Villar |
| DF | 2 | Ricardo Rezza |
| DF | 6 | Ramón Heredia |
| DF | 3 | Antonio Rosl (c) |
| MF | 8 | Roberto Telch |
| MF | 5 | Roberto Espósito |
| MF | 10 | Victorio Cocco |
| FW | 7 | Luciano Figueroa | 115' |
| FW | 9 | Rubén Ayala | 115' |
| FW | 11 | Enrique Chazarreta |
| Substitutes: ||
| FW | | Oscar Ortiz | 115' |
| FW | | José Sanfilippo | 115' |
| Manager: ||
| Juan Carlos Lorenzo ||
| GK | 1 | José A. Pérez |
| DF | 4 | Osvaldo Pérez |
| DF | 2 | Jorge Dominicci |
| MF | 6 | René Daulte |
| DF | 3 | Raúl Giustozzi |
| MF | 8 | Juan José López |
| DF | 5 | Jorge Vázquez | |
| FW | 10 | Norberto Alonso |
| MF | 7 | Ernesto Mastrángelo | 72' |
| FW | 9 | Carlos Morete |
| FW | 11 | Oscar Más |
| Substitutes: ||
| FW | | Néstor L. Scotta | 72' |
| Manager: ||
| Juan E. Urriolabeitía ||

### Top scorers

| Rank. | Player | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Carlos Morete | River Plate | 14 |
| 2 | Oscar Más | River Plate | 13 |
| 3 | Hugo Curioni | Boca Juniors | 12 |
| 3 | Carlos Guerini | Belgrano (C) | 12 |
| 4 | Juan Barroso | San Martín (M) | 11 |
| 4 | Carlos Bianchi | Vélez Sarsfield | 11 |
| 4 | Juan Taverna | Banfield | 11 |