The 2019–20 Liga Primera de Nicaragua season was divided into two tournaments (Apertura and Clausura) and will determine the 73rd and 74th champions in the history of the Liga Primera de Nicaragua, the top division of football in Nicaragua. The Apertura tournament was played in the second half of 2019, while the Clausura was played in the first half of 2020.
The league was one of the few football leagues in the world, along with the Belarus, Tajikistan that did not suspend their season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Format The Apertura play-off format was changed from previous years, while the Clausura will use 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 ten teams contested the league, including nine sides from the 2018–19 Primera División, and one side from the 2018–19 Segunda División.
UNAN Managua finished last in the aggregate table and were relegated to the Segunda División. The champions from the Segunda División, Deportivo Las Sabanas were promoted in their place.
The 9th place team in the aggregate table, Chinandega FC, faced the second place team from the Segunda División, FC Gutiérrez, in a playoff for a spot in the Primera División. Chinandega won 4–3 over two legs, meaning Chinandega remained in Primera División.
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from Segunda División as of July, 2019.
Champions: Deportivo Las Sabanas
Relegated to Segunda División as of July, 2019.
Last Place: UNAN Managua
Stadia and locations
Team Location Stadium CapacityChinandegaChinandegaEstadio Efraín TijerinoDeportivo Las SabanasLas SabanasMunicipal de Las SabanasDeportivo OcotalOcotalEstadio Roy Fernando BermúdezDiriangénDiriambaEstadio Cacique DiriangénJuventus ManaguaManaguaEstadio Olímpico del IND ManaguaManaguaManaguaEstadio Olímpico del IND ManaguaMunicipal JalapaJalapaEstadio Alejandro RamosReal EstelíEstelíEstadio IndependenciaReal MadrizSomotoEstadio SolidaridadWalter FerrettiManaguaEstadio Olímpico del IND Managua
Managerial changes During the Apertura season
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureReplaced byPosition in table Diriangen FC Mauricio Cruz Sacked September 2019 Flavio da Silva September 2019 9th (Apertura 2019) CD Ocotal Mario Alfaro Sacked October 2019 Marcos Rivera (Interim) October 2019 10th (Apertura 2019) CD Ocotal Marcos Rivera Interimship finished October 2019 Reynaldo Clavasquín October 2019 10th (Apertura 2019) ART Jalapa Leonidas Rodríguez Sacked October 2019 Angel Orellana October 2019 9th (Apertura 2019) Real Esteli Sergio Ivan Rodriguez Resigned November 2019 Holver Flores ‘’’Interim’’’ November 2019 3rd (Apertura 2019) Real Madriz Miguel Angel Sanchez Resigned November 2019 Carlos Matamoros ‘’’Interim’’’ November 2019 9th (Apertura 2019)
Between the Aperutra and Clasura season
TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyReplaced byDate of appointmentPosition in table Juventus Managua Roberto Armando Chanampe Sacked December 2019 Héctor Medina December 2019 TBD (Apertura 2019) Real Madriz Carlos Matamoros Interimship finished December 2019 Juan Ramirez January 2020 TBD (Apertura 2019)
Apertura
Personnel and sponsoring Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Kit sponsors Leonidas Rodríguez Luis Manuel Galeano Joma Agrotris Reyna Espinoza Lester Espinoza Nil Nil Mauricio Cruz Jason Coronel Joma Claro, Ocal, Victoria frost Roberto Chanampe Darwin Guity TBD TBD Emilio Aburto Cristiano Fernández da Lima Joma Brini Mario Alfaro Guillermo Espino Nil Alcadia Ocotal Sergio Ivan Rodriguez Jason Casco Kappa Beco, Movi star, La Curaçao, Banpro, Vitalsis Miguel Angel Sanchez Alvaro Bermúdez TBD Alcadia Somoto Luis Vega Marvin Fletes Joma Nil Henry Urbina René Huete Umbro Claro, Iniser, Disnorte Dissur
Standings
Results
Finals Bracket
Key: (a) = Wins because of away goals rule, (a.e.t.) = Wins after extra time in second leg, (p) = Wins after penalty shoot-out.
Quarterfinals
Managua progressed.
Real Estelí progressed.
Semi-finals
1–1, Real Estelí won on away goals.
4–4, Managua won 5–3 on penalties.
Final
Real Estelí won 2–1 on aggregate.
Statistics Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals 1. Carlos Félix Managua 102. Robinson Luiz Juventus Managua 7 Ulises Rayo Real Madriz4. Christiano Managua 6 Luis Galeano Municipal Jalapa Pablo Gállego Managua Eulises Pavón Juventus Managua
Records Top goalscorer: Mexican Carlos Felix (10 goals) Most goals scored: Managua FC (35 goals) Fewest goals scored: ART Jalapa (12 goals) Fewest goals conceded : Walter Ferretti and Real Esteli (14 goals) Most goals conceded : Chinandega (30 goals)
Clausura
Personnel and sponsoring Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Kit sponsors Angel Orellana Luis Manuel Galeano Joma Agrotris Reyna Espinoza Lester Espinoza Nil Nil Flavio da Silva Jason Coronel Joma Claro, Ocal, Victoria frost Hector Medina Darwin Guity TBD TBD Emilio Aburto Cristiano Fernández da Lima Joma Brini Reynaldo Clavasquín Guillermo Espino Nil Alcadia Ocotal Holver Flores Jason Casco Kappa Beco, Movi star, La Curaçao, Banpro, Vitalsis Juan Ramirez Alvaro Bermúdez TBD Alcadia Somoto Luis Vega Marvin Fletes Joma Nil Henry Urbina René Huete Umbro Claro, Iniser, Disnorte Dissur
Standings
Results
Finals Bracket
Key: (a) = Wins because of away goals rule, (a.e.t.) = Wins after extra time in second leg, (p) = Wins after penalty shoot-out.
Quarterfinals
Diriangén progressed.
Walter Ferretti progressed.
Semi-finals
Real Estelí won 1–0 on aggregate.
Managua won 4–2 on aggregate.
Final
Real Estelí won 4–2 on aggregate.
Statistics Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals 1. Fernando Villalpando Walter Ferretti 10 2. Pablo Gállego Managua 83. Christiano Managua 6 Leandro Figueroa Walter Ferretti Dshon Forbes Walter Ferretti Ulises Rayo Real Madriz
Discipline Most yellow cards: 8 Daniel Rodríguez (Chinandega)
Most red cards: 2 Jonathan Moncada (Deportivo Ocotal)
Aggregate table
Relegation play-offs
List of foreign players in the league This is a list of foreign players in the 2019–20 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/s is released and it is before the close of the season transfer window.
ART Jalapa Gabriel Coelho Ronaldo Pabon Juan Daniel González Edder Mondragón Eder García
Chinandega Brayan Cañate Marlon Barrios Esteban Lozada Duver Quinonez Cristhian Izaguirre
Diriangén Carlos Tórres Miguel Angel Pucharella Yeison Esquivel Bernardo Gradilla Jorge Vargas Palacio Bernando Laureiro
Juventus Managua Lucas Reynoso Rafael de Almeida Robinson Luiz Rafael Vieira Armando Valdez Alexander Moreno Héctor "El Tanque"Vega Fernando Insaurralde
Managua Cristiano Fernández da Lima Marel Álvarez Carlos Felix Gámez Rodolfo Forbes Pablo Gállego Sandro Cutino
Ocotal Allan Gutiérrez Kenverlen López Brayan Cantillo Lucumi Diego Arismendi Jerney Vente Miguel Batalla Kevin Meraz
Real Estelí Lucio Barroca Vinicius da Souza Jesús Leal Marco Granados Jaime Ayala Taufic Guarch Fabrizio Tavano
Real Madriz Daniel Suazo Guerrero Pedro Aguirre Josué Ramírez Asprilla Fernando Ramírez Pahua Andres Garzon Bryan Viveros
Deportivo Las Sabanas Carlos Mosquera Edson Contreras Luis Carbajal Rogelio Espinoza
Walter Ferretti Rodrigo Hernández Jefferson de Araujo Leandro Figueroa Pedro Dos Santos Fernando Villalpando Nikita Solodchenko Juan Camilio Rodriguez
(player released during the Apertura season) (player released between the Apertura and Clausura seasons) (player released during the Clausura season)
References