The 2021 Primera División season, officially Liga de Fútbol Profesional Venezolano or Liga FUTVE, was the 65th season of the Venezuelan Primera División, the top-flight football league in Venezuela, and the 40th season since the start of the professional era. The season started on 11 April and ended on 11 December 2021.
Deportivo Táchira were the champions, winning their ninth league title by defeating Caracas 4–2 on penalties following a 0–0 draw after extra time in the final. Deportivo La Guaira were the defending champions, but they were eliminated in Fase Final A.
Format changes The league was expanded to 21 teams as relegation was suspended for the previous season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 21 teams were divided into three groups of seven teams each according to geographic location, with the teams playing the other teams in their group four times (twice at home and twice away) in a round-robin format. The top four teams in each group advanced to the next stage, the top two to Fase Final A and the next two to Fase Final B. In both Hexagonals, the teams faced each other twice, with the champion being decided in Fase Final A. The teams of Fase Final A and the top two of Fase Final B qualified for international competitions.
Originally, the two worst ranked teams among the last-placed teams would be relegated, and the other one would be involved in a play-off against the Segunda División runner-up to determine the final spot in the 2022 season. However, on 24 September 2021 the FVF announced that all three last-placed teams in the groups would be relegated, with only one promotion from the Segunda División.
Teams Stadia and locations
Relegated to 2021 Segunda DivisiónNone (relegation suspended)
Promoted to 2021 Primera División1Hermanos Colmenarez2Universidad Central
Team Manager City Stadium Capacity Academia Puerto Cabello Jeremy Nowak (caretaker) Puerto Cabello La Bombonerita 7,500 Aragua Edson Rodríguez Maracay Olímpico Hermanos Ghersi Páez 14,000 Atlético Venezuela José Hernández Caracas Brígido Iriarte 10,000 Carabobo Enrique Maggiolo Valencia Misael Delgado 10,400 Caracas Noel Sanvicente Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940 Deportivo La Guaira Daniel Farías Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940Deportivo Lara Leonardo González Cabudare Metropolitano de Cabudare 47,913 Deportivo Táchira Juan Tolisano San Cristóbal Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo 38,755 Estudiantes de Mérida Leonel Vielma Mérida Metropolitano de Mérida 42,200 Gran Valencia Bladimir Morales Valencia Misael Delgado 10,400 Hermanos Colmenarez Luis Alberto Pacheco Barinas Reinaldo Melo 8,000 LALA Elías Emmons Ciudad Guayana Polideportivo Cachamay 41,600 Metropolitanos José María Morr Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940 Mineros de Guayana Pastor Márquez 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 Jesús Valiente Valera José Alberto Pérez 25,000 Universidad Central Daniel Sasso Caracas Olímpico de la UCV 23,940 Yaracuyanos Manuel González San Felipe Florentino Oropeza 10,000 Zamora Alfarabi Romero (caretaker) Barinas Agustín Tovar 29,800 Zulia Henry Meléndez Maracaibo José "Pachencho" Romero 40,800
Managerial changes
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentYaracuyanos Jesús CabelloResigned15 December 2020Pre-season Daniel Farrar10 January 2021Trujillanos Martín Carrillo17 December 2020 Gustavo Romanello11 March 2021Deportivo Lara Leonardo GonzálezMutual consent20 December 2020 Martín Brignani25 January 2021Carabobo José ParadaEnd of contract31 December 2020 Enrique Maggiolo14 February 2021Zulia Alex García King Frank Flores5 February 2021Estudiantes de Mérida Martín BrignaniResigned5 January 2021 Leonel Vielma12 January 2021Mineros Leonel VielmaSigned by Estudiantes de Mérida12 January 2021 Jesús Cabello11 March 2021Zamora Luis TeránEnd of caretaker spell24 January 2021 Marcelo Gómez24 January 2021Trujillanos Gustavo RomanelloMutual consent29 March 2021 Junior Lennin Díaz29 March 2021Academia Puerto Cabello Carlos MaldonadoSacked11 April 2021 José Basualdo24 April 2021Aragua Enrique GarcíaResigned8 May 20217th, Central Group Edson Rodríguez12 May 2021Yaracuyanos Daniel Farrar16 May 20215th, Central Group Tony Franco20 May 2021Trujillanos Junior Lennin Díaz17 May 20217th, Occidental Group Jesús Valiente18 May 2021Universidad Central Pedro AcostaMutual consent17 June 20217th, Oriental Group Daniel Sasso17 June 2021LALA Elías EmmonsSacked23 July 20217th, Oriental Group Álvaro Valencia26 July 2021Deportivo Lara Martín Brignani31 July 20215th, Central Group Leonardo González2 August 2021Mineros Jesús CabelloMutual consent2 August 20214th, Oriental Group Pastor Márquez6 August 2021LALA Álvaro ValenciaResigned10 August 20217th, Oriental Group Elías Emmons13 August 2021Zulia Frank FloresMutual consent16 August 20215th, Occidental Group Henry Meléndez16 August 2021Academia Puerto Cabello José BasualdoSacked23 August 20217th, Central Group Martín Carrillo26 August 2021Zamora Marcelo Gómez30 August 20216th, Occidental Group Alfarabi Romero30 August 2021Yaracuyanos Tony FrancoResigned23 September 20217th, Central Group Manuel González24 September 2021Atlético Venezuela Jair DíazDemoted to assistant manager1 October 20213rd, Oriental Group José Hernández1 October 2021Academia Puerto Cabello Martín CarrilloSacked3 November 20212nd, Fase Final B Jeremy Nowak4 November 2021 Notes
First stage The first stage began on 11 April and ended on 22 October 2021. The 21 teams were divided in three groups of seven teams each. The top two teams of each group advanced to Fase Final A and the next two to Fase Final B. The last-placed teams were relegated.
Occidental Group Standings
Results
Central Group Standings
Results
Oriental Group Standings
Results
Fase Final A Fase Final A was contested by the top two teams of the first stage groups, which played each other twice. The top two teams advanced to the final and also qualified for the 2022 Copa Libertadores along with the next best two teams, whilst the remaining two teams qualified for the 2022 Copa Sudamericana.
Standings
Results
Fase Final B Fase Final B was contested by the third- and fourth-placed teams of the first stage groups, which played each other twice. The top two teams qualified for the 2022 Copa Sudamericana. Atlético Venezuela originally qualified to compete in Fase Final B on sporting merit, but withdrew due to their failure to comply with the requirements imposed by the FVF. Due to this, only five teams competed in Fase Final B.
Standings
Results
Final The final was played at the Estadio Olímpico de la UCV in Caracas on 11 December 2021.
Top goalscorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Samson AkinyoolaCaracas182 Richard CelisCaracas173 Juan Carlos OrtizMonagas164 Adrián FernándezPortuguesa14 Franklin GonzálezMonagas6 Anuar PeláezHermanos Colmenarez13 Juan Camilo ZapataHermanos Colmenarez8 Alfredo StephensAragua129 Armando AraqueEstudiantes de Mérida11 Joel InfanteAtlético Venezuela Rubén RojasDeportivo Lara Tommy TobarAtlético Venezuela Source: Soccerway
Best XI The Liga FUTVE announced the best XI team of the 2021 Liga FUTVE season between 14 and 17 December 2021. Additionally, seven relevant players were named in order to complete the team.
PlayerTeam ()GoalsGK Cristopher VarelaDeportivo Táchira29 (29/0)26403000RB Eduardo FereiraCaracas31 (30/1)24975136CB Jesús QuinteroDeportivo Táchira20 (17/3)15603000CB Carlos RiveroCaracas27 (27/0)23815020LB Daniel LinárezEstudiantes de Mérida30 (30/0)261260011CM Telasco SegoviaDeportivo Lara31 (27/4)24245131CM Maurice CovaDeportivo Táchira23 (18/5)17607024RM Yerson ChacónDeportivo Táchira35 (31/4)26033099LM Richard CelisCaracas28 (28/0)2426101167CF Samson AkinyoolaCaracas34 (34/0)299670186CF Juan Carlos OrtizMonagas32 (32/0)286080169SubstitutesGK Nicolás CaprioMonagas32 (32/0)28394000DF Diego OsíoCaracas32 (30/2)27777010DF Edwin PerazaMonagas29 (29/0)25867021MF Edson CastilloCaracas25 (25/0)22709051FW Edgar Pérez GrecoDeportivo Táchira26 (25/1)177130106FW Juan Camilo ZapataHermanos Colmenarez31 (26/5)246150126FW Franklin GonzálezMonagas33 (27/6)229320153
References
External links of the Venezuelan Football Federation Liga FUTVE