The 2021 Liga 1 de Fútbol Profesional (known as the Liga 1 Betsson 2021 for sponsorship reasons) was the 105th season of the Peruvian Primera División, the highest division of Peruvian football. A total of 18 teams competed in the season, with Sporting Cristal coming in as defending champions.
The season was originally scheduled to start on 26 February 2021, while the draw, which was originally scheduled to take place on 5 February 2021, was postponed due to the effects of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru. Because of this, the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) also postponed the start of the tournament, with 12 March 2021 as the new date.
Alianza Lima were the champions, winning their twenty-fourth league title by defeating Sporting Cristal in the finals by a 1–0 aggregate score.
Competition format The format for this season was unveiled by the Liga de Fútbol Profesional on 16 January 2021. The season was divided into three stages: Fase 1, Fase 2, and the Playoffs. In Fase 1, the 18 teams were drawn into two groups of nine with the winners of each group playing a final to decide the Fase 1 winner, while Fase 2 was played under a single round-robin format with the 18 teams playing each other once.
The playoffs were to be contested by the winners of Fase 1 and Fase 2, as well as the top two teams of the aggregate table, which would play two semifinals with the winners playing the final to decide the national champion. If the Fase 1 or Fase 2 winners also ended up in the top two of the aggregate table, they would get a bye to the finals. However, in case a team won both stages of the competition, the playoffs would not be played and that team would be declared as champion. The bottom two teams of the aggregate table at the end of the season were relegated, with the team placed in 16th place playing a relegation playoff against the Liga 2 runners-up.
It was expected that, pending approval from the Peruvian government and health authorities, the competition would be played at the teams' respective home stadiums after health concerns by the COVID-19 pandemic caused the previous season to be concluded in Lima. However, the Fase 1 and later the Fase 2 were confirmed to be played entirely in the Peruvian capital, with the return of province teams to their home stadiums expected for 2022.
Teams 18 teams played in the 2021 Liga 1 season. The top seventeen teams in the 2020 Liga 1 took part, along with the 2020 Liga 2 champions Alianza Atlético. Team changes Promoted from2020 Liga 2 Relegated from2020 Liga 1 Alianza Atlético Atlético Grau Carlos Stein Deportivo Llacuabamba
Stadia and locations
Team Manager City Stadium CapacityAcademia Cantolao Carlos Silvestri Callao Miguel Grau 17,000Alianza Atlético Marcelo Vivas Sullana Campeones del 36 5,000Alianza Lima Carlos Bustos Lima Alejandro Villanueva 35,938Alianza Universidad Julio César Uribe Huánuco Heraclio Tapia 25,000Ayacucho Walter Fiori Ayacucho Ciudad de Cumaná 15,000Binacional Carlos Desio Juliaca Guillermo Briceño Rosamedina 20,030Carlos A. Mannucci Pablo Peirano Trujillo Mansiche 25,036Cienciano Gerardo Ameli Cusco Garcilaso 45,056Cusco Marcelo Grioni Cusco Garcilaso 45,056Deportivo Municipal Hernán Lisi Lima Iván Elías Moreno 10,000Melgar Néstor Lorenzo Arequipa Virgen de Chapi 60,370Sport Boys Ytalo Manzo (caretaker) Callao Miguel Grau 17,000Sport Huancayo Javier Arce Huancayo Estadio Huancayo 20,000Sporting Cristal Roberto Mosquera Lima Alberto Gallardo 18,000Universidad César Vallejo José del Solar Trujillo Mansiche 25,036Universidad San Martín José Espinoza Lima Alberto Gallardo 18,000Universitario Gregorio Pérez Lima Monumental 80,093UTC Mario Viera Cajamarca Héroes de San Ramón 18,000
The following stadiums were used to host matches:
Stadium CityAlberto Gallardo LimaAlejandro Villanueva LimaIván Elías Moreno LimaMiguel Grau CallaoMonumental LimaNacional LimaUniversidad San Marcos LimaVilla Deportiva Nacional Lima
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentFase 1Melgar Marco ValenciaEnd of caretaker spell30 November 2020Pre-season Néstor Lorenzo16 December 2020Alianza Lima Daniel AhmedSacked2 December 2020 Carlos Bustos15 January 2021Deportivo Municipal Víctor RiveraResigned2 December 2020 Franco Navarro3 December 2020UTC Franco NavarroSigned by Deportivo Municipal3 December 2020 Pablo Garabello4 December 2020Ayacucho Gerardo AmeliEnd of contract18 December 2020 Walter Fiori18 December 2020Universidad San Martín Héctor BidoglioResigned15 March 2021 José Espinoza (caretaker)15 March 2021Binacional Luis FloresMutual consent22 March 20219th, Group B César Chávez-Riva César Vaioli (caretakers)22 March 2021Universidad San Martín José EspinozaEnd of caretaker spell30 March 20214th, Group A César Payovich30 March 2021Binacional César Chávez-Riva César Vaioli14 April 20218th, Group B Rubén Darío Insúa14 April 2021Cusco Carlos RamacciottiSacked21 April 20217th, Group B Claudio Vivas22 April 2021Sport Boys Teddy Cardama8 May 20216th, Group B Gustavo Álvarez12 May 2021Binacional Rubén Darío InsúaMutual consent8 May 20218th, Group B César Vaioli (caretaker)9 May 2021UTC Pablo Garabello25 May 20217th, Group A Mario Viera26 May 2021Fase 2Binacional César VaioliEnd of caretaker spell21 May 2021Pre-tournament Carlos Desio1 June 2021Cienciano Marcelo GrioniMutual consent24 May 2021 Víctor Rivera1 June 2021Alianza Universidad Rony RevollarResigned11 June 2021 Julio César Uribe12 June 2021Alianza Atlético Jahir ButrónMutual consent5 August 202112th Teddy Cardama6 August 2021Sport Huancayo Wilmar ValenciaSacked7 August 202117th Javier Arce7 August 2021Cienciano Víctor Rivera14 August 202112th Gerardo Ameli15 August 2021Universitario Ángel Comizzo18 August 20217th Juan Pajuelo (caretaker)19 August 2021Cusco Claudio Vivas19 August 202115th Marcelo Grioni20 August 2021Alianza Atlético Teddy CardamaResigned25 August 202117th Marcelo Vivas25 August 2021Deportivo Municipal Franco NavarroMutual consent26 August 202113th Julio Argote (caretaker)27 August 2021Universitario Juan PajueloEnd of caretaker spell1 September 202112th Gregorio Pérez1 September 2021Deportivo Municipal Julio Argote1 September 202111th Hernán Lisi1 September 2021Sport Boys Gustavo ÁlvarezMutual consent1 September 20218th Ytalo Manzo (caretaker)1 September 2021Universidad San Martín César Payovich20 September 202118th José Espinoza20 September 2021Academia Cantolao Jorge Espejo28 September 202113th Carlos Silvestri30 September 2021 Notes
Fase 1 Group A
Group B
Results
Fase 1 final
Fase 2 Standings
Results
Aggregate table
Playoffs
Finals First leg
Second leg
Alianza Lima won 1–0 on aggregate.
Relegation playoff The relegation playoff was originally played by Binacional, as the team placed 16th in the Liga 1 aggregate table and the Liga 2 Revalidación winners Carlos Stein, with Carlos Stein winning on penalties after a 1–1 draw on aggregate. However, on 20 January 2022 the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a ruling by the FPF in which Cusco were awarded a 3–0 win in their Fase 2 match against Cienciano which had originally ended in a 2–2 draw. Due to this, Cusco fell to 17th place in the aggregate table and were relegated to Liga 2, while Binacional moved up one place to 15th and were reinstated in Liga 1.
On 21 January 2022, the FPF confirmed that they would abide by the CAS ruling and also ruled out a replay of the relegation playoff series, this time between Carlos Stein and Universidad San Martín who went up to 16th place in the aggregate table as an effect of this ruling, with which Universidad San Martín also avoided relegation whilst Carlos Stein's promotion was confirmed.
Tied 1–1 on aggregate, Carlos Stein won on penalties and were promoted to Liga 1.
Top scorers Rank Name Club Goals 1 Luis IbericoMelgar 12 Felipe RodríguezCarlos A. Mannucci 3 Alexis BlancoUTC 11 Gabriel LeyesAcademia Cantolao Víctor PerlazaAlianza Atlético Alex ValeraUniversitario Joao VillamarínSport Boys 8 Hernán BarcosAlianza Lima 10 Marlon de JesúsBinacional
Liga 1 awards On 9 December 2021, the Liga 1 announced the nominees for the 2021 Liga 1 awards. The award ceremony was held on 15 December 2021, 18:00 local time (UTC−5), at the Peruvian Football Federation headquarters. The winners were chosen based on voting by coaches and captains of 2021 Liga 1 teams, local sports journalist and Liga 1 fans on social media.
AwardWinnerClubNomineesClubBest player of the year Hernán BarcosAlianza Lima Christofer GonzálesSporting Cristal Josepmir BallónAlianza LimaBest goalkeeper Ángelo CamposAlianza Lima José CarvalloUniversitario Alejandro DuarteSporting CristalBest under-20 player Jesús CastilloSporting Cristal Jostin AlarcónSport Boys Arón SánchezAcademia CantolaoBest Coach Carlos BustosAlianza Lima Roberto MosqueraSporting Cristal José del SolarUniversidad César VallejoGoal of the Year Erinson Ramírez()Deportivo Municipal Felipe Rodríguez()Carlos A. Mannucci Gaspar Gentile()UTC Kevin Quevedo()Melgar Piero Ratto()Deportivo Municipal Raziel García()Cienciano
The following awards were also awarded: Top goalscorers: Two winners, both with 12 goals. Luis Iberico from Melgar. Felipe Rodríguez from Carlos A. Mannucci. Fair Play award: Alianza Lima (ranked first in the Fair Play standings).
Best XI The best XI team of the 2021 Liga 1 season was also announced during the award ceremony.
GoalkeeperDefendersMidfieldersForwards Ángelo Campos (Alianza Lima) Ricardo Lagos (Alianza Lima) Renzo Garcés (U. César Vallejo) Pablo Míguez (Alianza Lima) Jhilmar Lora (Sporting Cristal) Christofer Gonzáles (Sporting Cristal) Josepmir Ballón (Alianza Lima) Raziel García (Cienciano) Luis Iberico (Melgar) Hernán Barcos (Alianza Lima) Felipe Rodríguez ()
See also 2021 Copa Bicentenario 2021 Liga 2 2021 Copa Perú 2021 Copa Generación 2021 in Peruvian football
References
External links Official website Liga 1 news at Peru.com Liga 1 statistics and news at Dechalaca.com