# 1988–89 Argentine Primera División

The 1988–89 Argentine Primera División was the 98th season of top-flight football in Argentina. The season ran from September 11, 1988, to May 28, 1989.
This tournament introduced the use of penalty shootouts to resolve tie games. Due to lack of interest, it was discontinued for the following season.
This championships served as qualification for both Copa Libertadores editions, 1989 and 1990 (in the last case, through a "Liguilla", contested by clubs placed 2nd to 7th plus Chaco for Ever (Primera B Nacional champion) and Platense (winner of the 1987 Liguilla).
Independiente won the championship (14th league title) while San Martín (T) and Deportivo Armenio were relegated. River Plate won the Liguilla pre-Libertadores, qualifying to the 1990 edition.

## League standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Independiente | 38 | 22 | 11 | 5 | 58 | 32 | +26 | 7 | 84 |
| 2 | Boca Juniors | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 56 | 38 | +18 | 7 | 76 |
| 3 | Deportivo Español | 38 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 45 | 31 | +14 | 6 | 68 |
| 4 | River Plate | 38 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 51 | 36 | +15 | 6 | 67 |
| 5 | San Lorenzo | 38 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 58 | 44 | +14 | 8 | 66 |
| 6 | Talleres (C) | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 48 | 43 | +5 | 5 | 65 |
| 7 | Argentinos Juniors | 38 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 55 | 39 | +16 | 6 | 61 |
| 8 | Estudiantes (LP) | 38 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 53 | 41 | +12 | 4 | 61 |
| 9 | Racing | 38 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 47 | 41 | +6 | 4 | 59 |
| 10 | Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 38 | 10 | 16 | 12 | 31 | 30 | +1 | 11 | 57 |
| 11 | Vélez Sársfield | 38 | 8 | 17 | 13 | 37 | 54 | −17 | 12 | 53 |
| 12 | Newell's Old Boys | 38 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 42 | 44 | −2 | 5 | 51 |
| 13 | Rosario Central | 38 | 10 | 16 | 12 | 49 | 55 | −6 | 5 | 51 |
| 14 | Deportivo Mandiyú | 38 | 7 | 19 | 12 | 35 | 44 | −9 | 11 | 51 |
| 15 | Platense | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 36 | 51 | −15 | 6 | 50 |
| 16 | Racing (C) | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 38 | 54 | −16 | 6 | 50 |
| 17 | San Martín (T) | 38 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 38 | 49 | −11 | 0 | 46 |
| 18 | Ferro Carril Oeste | 38 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 35 | 43 | −8 | 7 | 45 |
| 19 | Deportivo Armenio | 38 | 5 | 15 | 18 | 29 | 57 | −28 | 7 | 37 |
| 20 | Instituto | 38 | 7 | 9 | 22 | 38 | 65 | −27 | 1 | 31 |
* Independiente qualify for Copa Libertadores 1990 as Argentine Champions.

## Top scorers

| Position | Player | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Oscar Dertycia | Argentinos Juniors | 20 |
| 1 | Néstor Raúl Gorosito | San Lorenzo | 20 |
| 3 | Juan Comas | Racing | 19 |
| 4 | Ariel Cozzoni | Instituto | 18 |

## Relegation

| Team | Average | Points | Played | 1986–87 | 1987–88 | 1988–89 |
| Independiente | 1.219 | 139 | 114 | 47 | 37 | 55 |
| Newell's Old Boys | 1.193 | 136 | 114 | 48 | 55 | 33 |
| San Lorenzo | 1.184 | 135 | 114 | 44 | 49 | 42 |
| Racing | 1.158 | 132 | 114 | 44 | 48 | 40 |
| Boca Juniors | 1.140 | 130 | 114 | 46 | 35 | 49 |
| River Plate | 1.140 | 130 | 114 | 39 | 46 | 45 |
| Rosario Central | 1.079 | 123 | 114 | 49 | 40 | 34 |
| Deportivo Español | 1.070 | 122 | 114 | 36 | 40 | 46 |
| Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 1.018 | 116 | 114 | 37 | 43 | 36 |
| Vélez Sársfield | 1.009 | 115 | 114 | 41 | 41 | 33 |
| Estudiantes (LP) | 0.974 | 111 | 114 | 37 | 32 | 42 |
| Argentinos Juniors | 0.965 | 110 | 114 | 28 | 40 | 42 |
| Talleres de Córdoba | 0.956 | 109 | 114 | 38 | 27 | 44 |
| Ferro Carril Oeste | 0.939 | 107 | 114 | 44 | 33 | 30 |
| Deportivo Mandiyú | 0.868 | 33 | 38 | N/A | N/A | 33 |
| Platense | 0.860 | 98 | 114 | 27 | 38 | 33 |
| Instituto | 0.851 | 97 | 114 | 41 | 33 | 23 |
| Racing (C) | 0.851 | 97 | 114 | 33 | 31 | 33 |
| San Martín (T) | 0.842 | 32 | 38 | N/A | N/A | 32 |
| Deportivo Armenio | 0.776 | 59 | 76 | N/A | 34 | 25 |

## Liguilla Pre-Libertadores
### Winners tournament

Quarter finals
| Home (1st leg) | Home (2nd leg) | 1st Leg | 2nd leg | Aggregate |
| Chaco For Ever | Boca Juniors | 0-1 | 1-2 | 1-3 |
| Argentinos Juniors | River Plate | 2-0 | 0-1 | 2-1 |
| Platense | Deportivo Español | 0-0 | 3-1 | 3-1 |
| Talleres | San Lorenzo | 0-2 | 1-1 | 1-3 |
Semi finals
| | | Score |
| Argentinos Juniors | San Lorenzo | 1-3 |
| Platense | Boca Juniors | 1-1 |
Winners Final
| Home (1st leg) | Home (2nd leg) | 1st Leg | 2nd leg | Aggregate |
| Boca Juniors | San Lorenzo | 1-1 | 0-4 | 1-5 |
* San Lorenzo qualified to play a final with the winner of the requalifying tournament.

### Requalifying tournament

First round
| Home (1st leg) | Home (2nd leg) | 1st Leg | 2nd leg | Aggregate |
| Argentinos Juniors | River Plate | 0-1 | 0-4 | 0-5 |
| Deportivo Español | Newell's Old Boys | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 |
Second round
| Home (1st leg) | Home (2nd leg) | 1st Leg | 2nd leg | Aggregate |
| River Plate | Deportivo Español | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2-0 |
Requalifying Final
| Home (1st leg) | Home (2nd leg) | 1st Leg | 2nd leg | 3rd leg | Aggregate |
| River Plate | Boca Juniors | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-1 | 2-1 |

### Liguilla Final

| Home (1st leg) | Home (2nd leg) | 1st Leg | 2nd leg | Aggregate |
| San Lorenzo | River Plate | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 |
* River Plate qualified for Copa Libertadores 1990