# 2017–18 Primera División de Nicaragua

The 2017–18 Primera División de Nicaragua season was divided into two tournaments (Apertura and Clausura) and determined the 69th and 70th champions in the history of the league. The Apertura tournament was played in the second half of 2017, while the Clausura was played in the first half of 2018.

## Format

The Apertura play-off format was changed from previous years, while the Clausura used the same 4-team play-off format. For the Apertura, the top four teams from the regular stage advanced to a "quadrangular" double-round robin instead of a play-off stage. The regular stage and quadrangular winners would have played to decide the tournament's champion, but ultimately the same team won both and the final was not necessary. The same format was recently adopted by the Costa Rican Primera División, but for both half seasons.

## Team information

A total of 10 teams contested the league, including 8 sides from the 2016–17 Primera División and 2 sides from the 2016–17 Segunda División.
At the end of the 2016–17 Primera División, Nandasmo finished last in the aggregate table and were relegated to the Segunda División. Taking their place was the champions from the Segunda División, Deportivo Ocotal.
The 9th place team in the aggregate table, Deportivo Sebaco, faced the second place team from the Segunda División, San Francisco Masachapa, in a playoff for a spot in the Primera División. San Francisco Masachapa won the playoff 3-2 on aggregate and were promoted, while Deportivo Sebaco were relegated.

### Promotion and relegation

Promoted from Segunda División as of June, 2017.
* Champions: Ocotal
* Runners-up (via playoff): San Francisco Masachapa
Relegated to Segunda División as of June, 2017.
* Last Place: Nandasmo
* Ninth Place (via playoff): Deportivo Sebaco

### Personnel and sponsoring

| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer |
| Chinandega | Reyna Espinoza | TBD | TBD |
| Diriangén FC | Mauricio Cruz | TBD | TBD |
| Juventus Managua | Javier Martínez Espinoza | TBD | TBD |
| Managua | Tyrone Acevedo | TBD | TBD |
| Ocotal | Randall Moreno | TBD | TBD |
| Real Estelí | Otoniel Olivas | TBD | TBD |
| Real Madriz | Jorge Luis Ramos Pinacho/Arturo Zavala | TBD | TBD |
| San Francisco Masachapa | Luis Javier Londoño | TBD | TBD |
| UNAN Managua | Daniel García | TBD | TBD |
| Walter Ferretti | Flavio Da Silva | TBD | TBD |

## Apertura
### Personnel and sponsoring

| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer |
| Chinandega | Reyna Espinoza | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Diriangén FC | Mauricio Cruz | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Juventus Managua | Javier Martínez Espinoza | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Managua | Tyrone Acevedo | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Ocotal | Randall Moreno | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Real Estelí | Otoniel Olivas | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Real Madriz | Arturo Zavala | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| San Francisco Masachapa | Luis Javier Londoño | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| UNAN Managua | Daniel García | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Walter Ferretti | Flavio Da Silva | TBD | TBD | TBD |

## Managerial changes
### During the season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment |
| Real Madriz | Abraham Zavala | Resigned | 2017 | Daniel Bartolotta | 2017 |
| UNAN Managua | Daniel Garcia | Resigned | 2017 | Edward Urroz | 2017 |
| Managua F.C. | Tyron Acevedo | Resigned | 2017 | Emilio Aburto | 2017 |
| FC San Francisco Maschapa | Luis Javier Londono | Resigned | 2017 | Jeffrey Perez | 2017 |
| Ocotal | Randall Moreno | Resigned | 2017 | Emiliano Barrera | 2017 |

### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Real Estelí | 18 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 41 | 15 | +26 | 42 | Championship Group |
| 2 | Walter Ferretti | 18 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 33 | 15 | +18 | 36 | Championship Group |
| 3 | Diriangén | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 29 | 22 | +7 | 27 | Championship Group |
| 4 | Managua | 18 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 27 | 23 | +4 | 26 | Championship Group |
| 5 | Juventus Managua | 18 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 21 | 20 | +1 | 25 | |
| 6 | Real Madriz | 18 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 28 | 35 | −7 | 21 | |
| 7 | Ocotal | 18 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 32 | −13 | 21 | |
| 8 | Chinandega | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 26 | 41 | −15 | 19 | |
| 9 | UNAN Managua | 18 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 24 | −10 | 16 | |
| 10 | San Francisco Masachapa | 18 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 26 | −11 | 13 | |

### Records
#### Top Goalscorers

| No. | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Mauricio Castaneda | Real Madriz | 12 |
| 2 | Carlos Chavarria | Real Esteli | 11 |
| 3 | Bernardo Laureiro | Deportivo Walter Ferretti | 11 |
| 4 | Jarel Puerto | Chinandega FC | 11 |
| 5 | Edward Morrillo | Managua F.C. | 7 |
| 6 | Ulises Rayo | Deportivo Ocotal | 7 |
| 7 | Luis Gutierrez | Diriangén F.C. | 6 |
| 8 | Marlon Barrios | Real Madriz | 5 |
| 9 | Carlos Felix | Juventus Managua | 5 |
| 10 | Rodrigo Hernandez | UNAN Managua | 5 |
| 10 | Eder Munive | Deportivo Walter Ferretti | 5 |

### Results

| Home \ Away | CHI | DIR | JUM | MAN | OCO | RES | RMA | SFM | UNM | WAF |
| Chinandega | | 3–3 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–4 |
| Diriangén | 4–1 | | 2–1 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 |
| Juventus Managua | 3–0 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 |
| Managua | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| Ocotal | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | | 4–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Real Estelí | 1–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 4–0 | 5–0 | | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Real Madriz | 4–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–6 | 2–1 | 1–2 | | 2–2 | 5–0 | 0–2 |
| San Francisco Masachapa | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| UNAN Managua | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 0–0 | | 0–1 |
| Walter Ferretti | 4–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | |

### Playoffs
#### Semi-finals

1-1. Walter Ferretti advanced on Penalties.
2-2. Managua advanced on away goal.

#### Finals

1-1. Walter Ferretti won on away goal
* Apertura 2017 champions
* Walter Ferretti 4th title

## Clausura
### Personnel and sponsoring

| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer |
| Chinandega | Reyna Espinoza | TBD | TBD |
| Diriangén FC | Mauricio Cruz x | TBD | TBD |
| Juventus Managua | Oscar Blanco | TBD | TBD |
| Managua | Emilio Aburto | TBD | TBD |
| Ocotal | Carlos Cardona | TBD | TBD |
| Real Estelí | Otoniel Olivas x | TBD | TBD |
| Real Madriz | Tyron Acevedo | TBD | TBD |
| San Francisco Masachapa | Jeffrey Perez | TBD | TBD |
| UNAN Managua | Carlos Avedissian | TBD | TBD |
| Walter Ferretti | Flavio Da Silva x | TBD | TBD |

## Managerial changes
### Before the Clasura season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment |
| Real Madriz | Daniel Bartolotta | Resigned | December 2017 | Tyron Acevedo | December 2017 |
| Ocotal | Emiliano Barrera | Resigned | December 2017 | Carlos Cardona | January 2018 |
| UNAN Managua | Edward Urroz | Resigned | December 2017 | Carlos Avedissian | December 2017 |
| Juventus Managua | Javier Martinez | Resigned | December 2017 | Oscar Blanco | January 2018 |

### During the Clasura season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment |
| Juventus Managua | Oscar Blanco | Resigned | February 2018 | Héctor Mediana | February 2018 |
| UNAN Managua | Carlos Avedissian | Resigned | February 2018 | Luis Vega | February 2018 |

### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Real Estelí | 18 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 41 | 13 | +28 | 41 | Championship Group |
| 2 | Diriangén | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 37 | 20 | +17 | 31 | Championship Group |
| 3 | Juventus Managua | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 29 | 27 | +2 | 30 | Championship Group |
| 4 | Walter Ferretti | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 25 | 23 | +2 | 28 | Championship Group |
| 5 | Ocotal | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 25 | |
| 6 | Managua | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 29 | 21 | +8 | 24 | |
| 7 | UNAN Managua | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 24 | 23 | +1 | 22 | |
| 8 | Real Madriz | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 16 | 31 | −15 | 20 | |
| 9 | Chinandega | 18 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 30 | −16 | 16 | |
| 10 | San Francisco Masachapa | 18 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 37 | −23 | 9 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | CHI | DIR | JUM | MAN | OCO | RES | RMA | SFM | UNM | WAF |
| Chinandega | | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 |
| Diriangén | 6–0 | | 3–3 | 1–0 | 2–4 | 1–0 | 7–1 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 |
| Juventus Managua | 0–0 | 2–0 | | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 |
| Managua | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| Ocotal | 5–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–4 |
| Real Estelí | 1–0 | 1–1 | 7–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | | 1–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Real Madriz | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | | 0–0 | 5–0 | 0–1 |
| San Francisco Masachapa | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | | 1–3 | 1–2 |
| UNAN Managua | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–0 | | 2–2 |
| Walter Ferretti | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–3 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | |

### Records
#### Top Goalscorers

| No. | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Carlos Felix | Juventus Managua | 11 |
| 2 | Lucas Oliviera | Managua F.C. | 8 |
| 3 | Andres Mendoza | Diriangén F.C. | 8 |
| 4 | Gregorio Torres | Real Esteli | 8 |
| 5 | Carlos Chavarria | Real Esteli | 7 |
| 6 | Yeison Esquivel | Diriangén F.C. | 7 |
| 7 | Pablo Gallego | Real Esteli | 7 |
| 8 | Erling Ruiz | Deportivo Ocotal | 7 |
| 9 | Luis Coronel | Diriangén F.C. | 5 |
| 10 | Brandon Mena | San Francisco | 5 |
| 10 | Edward Morrillo | Managua F.C. | 5 |

### Playoffs

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| 1 | Real Estelí | 1 | 2 | 3 | | |
| 4 | Walter Ferretti | 1 | 0 | 1 | | |
| 4 | Walter Ferretti | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Real Estelí |
| | | | | | 2 | Diriangén |
| 2 | Diriangén | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | Diriangén |
| 3 | Juventus Managua | 2 | 0 | 2 | | |

#### Semi-finals

Real Esteli won 3-1 on aggregate.
Diriangen won 3-2 on aggregate.

#### Finals

Diriangen won 3-2 on aggregate.
* Clausura 2018 champions
* Diriangén 26th title

## List of foreign players in the league

This is a list of foreign players in the 2017–18 season. The following players:
* Have played at least one game for the respective club.
* Have not been capped for the Nicaragua national football team on any level, independently from the birthplace
A new rule was introduced this season, that clubs can have four foreign players per club and can only add a new player if there is an injury or a player is released and it's before the close of the season transfer window.
(player released during the Apertura season) (player released between the Apertura and Clausura seasons) (player released during the Clausura season)

## Aggregate table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Real Estelí | 36 | 26 | 5 | 5 | 82 | 32 | +50 | 83 | |
| 2 | Diriangén | 36 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 58 | 38 | +20 | 64 | 2018 CONCACAF League |
| 3 | Juventus Managua | 36 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 66 | 42 | +24 | 58 | |
| 4 | Managua | 36 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 50 | 47 | +3 | 55 | |
| 5 | Ocotal | 36 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 56 | 44 | +12 | 50 | |
| 6 | Walter Ferretti | 36 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 47 | 60 | −13 | 46 | 2018 CONCACAF League |
| 7 | Real Madriz | 36 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 44 | 66 | −22 | 41 | |
| 8 | UNAN Managua | 36 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 38 | 47 | −9 | 38 | |
| 9 | Chinandega | 36 | 8 | 11 | 17 | 40 | 71 | −31 | 35 | Relegation play-off |
| 10 | San Francisco Masachapa | 36 | 3 | 13 | 20 | 29 | 63 | −34 | 22 | Relegation to 2018-2019 Segunda División de Fútbol de Nicaragua |