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 Reyna Espinoza TBD TBD Mauricio Cruz TBD TBD Javier Martínez Espinoza TBD TBD Tyrone Acevedo TBD TBD Randall Moreno TBD TBD Otoniel Olivas TBD TBD Jorge Luis Ramos Pinacho/Arturo Zavala TBD TBD Luis Javier Londoño TBD TBD Daniel García TBD TBD Flavio Da Silva TBD TBD
Apertura
Personnel and sponsoring Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Reyna Espinoza TBD TBD TBD Mauricio Cruz TBD TBD TBD Javier Martínez Espinoza TBD TBD TBD Tyrone Acevedo TBD TBD TBD Randall Moreno TBD TBD TBD Otoniel Olivas TBD TBD TBD Arturo Zavala TBD TBD TBD Luis Javier Londoño TBD TBD TBD Daniel García TBD TBD TBD 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 Masachapa Luis Javier Londono Resigned 2017 Jeffrey Perez 2017 Ocotal Randall Moreno Resigned 2017 Emiliano Barrera 2017
Standings
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
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
Clausura
Personnel and sponsoring Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Reyna Espinoza TBD TBD Mauricio Cruz x TBD TBD Oscar Blanco TBD TBD Emilio Aburto TBD TBD Carlos Cardona TBD TBD Otoniel Olivas x TBD TBD Tyron Acevedo TBD TBD Jeffrey Perez TBD TBD Carlos Avedissian TBD TBD 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
Results
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
Semi-finals
Real Esteli won 3-1 on aggregate.
Diriangen won 3-2 on aggregate.
Finals
Diriangen won 3-2 on aggregate.
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.
Chinandega Jairo Olivares Jarel Puerto Brayan Cañate Richard Charris Allan Gutiérrez
Diriangén Henry Niño Francisco Rodriguez Erick Alcázar Johan Bonilla Brandon Salazar Andrés Mendoza Pedro Dos Santos Josué Meneses Carlos Tórres Yeison Esquivel
Juventus Managua Maycon Santana Luis Fernando González Darwin Guity Carlos Félix Diego de la Cruz
Managua Cristiano Fernández da Lima Vinicius da Souza Lucas Oliviera Armando Valdez Lisandro Andino Edward Morillo Oscar Urróz
Masachapa/San Francisco Brandon Mena Carlos Mosquera Ever Rodríguez Ernesto Benítez Enzo Brahim Raúl Nomesque
Ocotal Cristhian Cabria Nelson Maldonado Rolín Álvarez Erlyn Ruíz Marcos Rivera Juan Sebastián Bedoya
Real Estelí Gregorio Torres Gabriel Da Silva Revson Santos Lucas Rodríguez Gastón Pagan Guillermo Sierra Jorge Betancur Richard Rodríguez Pablo Gállego
Real Madriz Edder Mondragón Mauricio Castañeda Marel Álvarez Marlon Barrios Jesus Guerrero
UNAN Ever Benítez Daniel Venancio Franklin García Gledson Pereira Rodrigo Hernández Juan Diego Uribe Oscar Castillo Palomino
Walter Ferretti Yosimar Rivera Rafael De Almeida Robinson Luiz José Bernardo Laureiro Eder Munive
(player released during the Apertura season) (player released between the Apertura and Clausura seasons) (player released during the Clausura season)
Aggregate table
References
External links http://www.ligaprimera.com/ocotal https://int.soccerway.com/national/nicaragua/primera-division/20172018/apertura/r41773/