2020 Categoría Primera A season

The 2020 Categoría Primera A season (officially known as the 2020 Liga BetPlay Dimayor season for sponsorship reasons) is the 73rd season of the Categoría Primera A, Colombia's top-flight football league. The season began on 23 January[1] and is scheduled to conclude on 17 December 2020. América de Cali entered the season as defending champions having won the 2019 Finalización tournament.

Liga BetPlay Dimayor
Season2020
Dates23 January – 17 December 2020
Matches played78
Goals scored181 (2.32 per match)
Top goalscorerApertura: Michael Rangel and
Diego Valdés (5 goals each)
Biggest home winDeportivo Pasto 4–0 Atl. Bucaramanga
(7 February)
Envigado 4–0 Atl. Bucaramanga
(7 February)
Biggest away winBoyacá Chicó 0–3 Atlético Nacional
(11 February)
Jaguares 0–3 Cúcuta Deportivo
(10 March)
Highest scoringLa Equidad 3–4 Atlético Nacional
(29 January)
← 2019
2021 →
All statistics correct as of 10 March 2020.

On 13 March 2020, after a meeting with its member clubs, DIMAYOR announced the temporary suspension of the tournament, along with the Primera B and Copa Colombia ones, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

On 29 June, and after an Assembly of its member clubs, DIMAYOR presented a timetable for the implementation of the biosafety protocol to resume its competitions, with COVID-19 testing for players and staff members of every club scheduled to be held from 10 to 15 July, and individual training resuming the following day. The resumption of collective training sessions, scheduled for 20 August, will be subject to government approval. According to said timetable, the league was scheduled to resume on 27 August, pending the fulfillment of the previous stages as well as final approval by the Colombian government.[3][4] On 25 July, it was confirmed that the competition would resume on 30 August 2020 with alterations in its format, and pending government approval.[5]

Format

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league season was planned to be played as follows:

  • Two tournaments per year, with three stages each. The first stage would be contested on a single round-robin basis, with each team playing the other teams once plus an additional match against a regional rival for a total of 20 games.
  • Due to the 2020 Copa América scheduled to be held in the country from mid-June to mid-July, and in order to conclude the Torneo Apertura on 24 May, the second stage for this tournament would be a knockout round contested by the top four teams at the end of the first stage, with the best-placed team at the end of the first stage facing the fourth-best placed team and the second-best placed team playing the third-best placed one in a double-legged series. The Torneo Finalización would feature the semifinal stage as it was played during the previous season.
  • The finals in both tournaments would be contested by the winners of each semifinal tie or group, playing a double-legged series for the championship.
  • The distribution of international qualification berths as well as the relegation system would not change.[6][1]

On 25 July 2020, DIMAYOR's General Assembly decided to continue playing the Torneo Apertura as the only tournament to be held in the season, with the semifinal stage originally planned for the Torneo Finalización. The allocation of international qualification berths was also altered, with the Copa Libertadores berth originally allocated to the Finalización winners going to the league runners-up, and the fourth Copa Sudamericana berth going to the winner of a play-off involving the aggregate table fourth best team not qualified for the Copa Libertadores and the 12 teams that fail to qualify for the semifinal stage.[5] Further format changes were confirmed on 13 August 2020, with DIMAYOR's General Assembly deciding to suspend relegation for this season and postpone it until the end of the first semester of 2021, in order to ensure teams could be able to play the same amount of matches as originally scheduled before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

Teams

20 teams take part, eighteen of them returning from last season plus Deportivo Pereira and Boyacá Chicó, who were promoted from the 2019 Primera B. Both promoted teams replaced Unión Magdalena and Atlético Huila who were relegated at the end of the previous season by having finished as the bottom two teams of the relegation table.

Stadia and locations
Locations of the 2020 Categoría Primera A teams
Team Manager City Stadium Capacity
Alianza Petrolera César Torres Barrancabermeja Daniel Villa Zapata 10,400
América de Cali Juan Cruz Real Cali
Armenia		 Pascual Guerrero
Centenario[note 1]		 33,130
20,716
Atlético Bucaramanga Guillermo Sanguinetti Bucaramanga
Barrancabermeja		 Alfonso López
Daniel Villa Zapata[note 2]		 28,000
10,400
Atlético Nacional Juan Carlos Osorio Medellín Atanasio Girardot 40,043
Boyacá Chicó Jhon Jaime Gómez Tunja La Independencia 20,630
Cúcuta Deportivo Jorge Artigas Cúcuta General Santander 42,901
Deportes Tolima Hernán Torres Ibagué Manuel Murillo Toro 28,100
Deportivo Cali Alfredo Arias Palmira Deportivo Cali 44,000
Deportivo Pasto Diego Corredor Pasto Departamental Libertad 20,665
Deportivo Pereira Néstor Craviotto Pereira Hernán Ramírez Villegas 30,297
Envigado José Arastey Envigado Polideportivo Sur 11,000
Independiente Medellín Aldo Bobadilla Medellín Atanasio Girardot 40,043
Jaguares Alberto Suárez Montería Jaraguay 12,000
Junior Julio Comesaña Barranquilla Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez 49,692
La Equidad Alexis García Bogotá Metropolitano de Techo
Nemesio Camacho El Campín[note 3]		 8,000
36,343
Millonarios Alberto Gamero Bogotá Nemesio Camacho El Campín 36,343
Once Caldas Hubert Bodhert Manizales Palogrande 28,678
Patriotas Nelson Gómez Tunja La Independencia 20,630
Rionegro Águilas Francesco Stifano Rionegro Alberto Grisales 14,000
Santa Fe Harold Rivera Bogotá Nemesio Camacho El Campín 36,343
  1. Used by América de Cali for their Torneo Apertura home match against Boyacá Chicó.
  2. Used by Atlético Bucaramanga for their Torneo Apertura home matches against Deportivo Cali and Deportes Tolima due to Estadio Alfonso López hosting the 2020 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament.
  3. Used by La Equidad for their Torneo Apertura home match against Atlético Nacional for safety reasons.

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
La Equidad Guillermo Rivera End of caretaker spell 29 October 2019 Pre-season Alexis García 7 January 2020[8]
Millonarios Jorge Luis Pinto Resigned 5 November 2019[9] Alberto Gamero 3 December 2019[10]
Atlético Bucaramanga Sergio Novoa End of caretaker spell 5 November 2019 José Manuel Rodríguez 5 November 2019[11]
Rionegro Águilas Flabio Torres Sacked 5 November 2019[12] Francesco Stifano 12 December 2019[13]
Cúcuta Deportivo Guillermo Sanguinetti End of contract 27 November 2019[14] Jairo Patiño 5 January 2020[15]
Deportes Tolima Alberto Gamero Signed by Millonarios 3 December 2019[16] Hernán Torres 6 December 2019[17]
Deportivo Pasto Octavio Zambrano Sacked 4 December 2019[18] Diego Corredor 4 December 2019[18]
Deportivo Cali Lucas Pusineri Mutual consent 7 December 2019[19] Alfredo Arias 13 December 2019[20]
Atlético Bucaramanga José Manuel Rodríguez Sacked 17 February 2020[21] 20th Jorge Amado Nunes (caretaker) 17 February 2020[21]
Cúcuta Deportivo Jairo Patiño 17 February 2020[22] 16th Jorge Artigas 17 February 2020[23]
Atlético Bucaramanga Jorge Amado Nunes End of caretaker spell 23 February 2020 17th Guillermo Sanguinetti 22 February 2020[24]
Jaguares Juan Cruz Real Resigned 12 March 2020[25] 16th Alberto Suárez 17 July 2020[26]
América de Cali Alexandre Guimarães End of contract 14 June 2020[note 1][28] 8th Juan Cruz Real 13 July 2020[29]
  1. Contract suspended since 14 May 2020.[27]

First stage

Standings
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Atlético Nacional 8 4 3 1 18 11 +7 15 Advance to the semifinals
2 Deportivo Pasto 7 4 2 1 10 4 +6 14
3 Santa Fe 8 3 4 1 10 5 +5 13
4 Deportes Tolima 7 3 4 0 8 3 +5 13
5 Alianza Petrolera 8 4 1 3 10 8 +2 13
6 Junior 8 3 4 1 8 6 +2 13
7 Once Caldas 8 2 6 0 7 4 +3 12
8 América de Cali 8 3 3 2 11 9 +2 12
9 Deportivo Cali 7 2 5 0 9 6 +3 11
10 Deportivo Pereira 8 3 2 3 10 11 −1 11
11 Independiente Medellín 8 3 2 3 10 11 −1 11
12 Rionegro Águilas 8 2 4 2 9 9 0 10
13 La Equidad 8 2 3 3 15 15 0 9
14 Envigado 8 2 3 3 9 9 0 9
15 Atlético Bucaramanga 8 2 3 3 5 12 −7 9
16 Jaguares 8 2 1 5 11 16 −5 7
17 Millonarios 7 1 3 3 7 11 −4 6
18 Cúcuta Deportivo 8 1 3 4 6 11 −5 6
19 Boyacá Chicó 8 1 2 5 5 11 −6 5
20 Patriotas 8 0 4 4 3 9 −6 4
Updated to match(es) played on 10 March 2020. Source: Dimayor, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Goal difference, 3) Goals for, 4) Away goals for, 5) Away goals against, 6) Effective time of play, 7) Drawing of lots.

Results
Home \ Away APE AME BUC NAC BOY CUC TOL CAL PAS PER ENV DIM JAG JUN EQU MIL ONC PAT RIO SFE
Alianza Petrolera — — — — 0–1 — 0–1 1–0 — — — 1–0 — —
América de Cali 3–1 — — 1–0 — — 1–1 — — 2–0 — — a — —
Atlético Bucaramanga — — — — a 0–0 0–2 — — — 1–1 — — — 2–0
Atlético Nacional — a — — — 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–2 — — — — — —
Boyacá Chicó 2–2 — 0–3 — — — — 0–1 — — — — 1–0 —
Cúcuta Deportivo 0–2 0–1 — — — 0–0 — — — — 1–1 — — —
Deportes Tolima — — — — — — — 3–0 2–2 — 0–0 1–0 — —
Deportivo Cali 2–1 — — — — — 2–2 — — 0–0 a — — —
Deportivo Pasto — — 4–0 — — — — 1–0 — 1–2 — — —
Deportivo Pereira — — — — 2–0 — — — 1–0 — 1–3 — —
Envigado 4–0 — 1–0 — — — — — — — 0–1 — 2–2 —
Independiente Medellín — — 1–3 — — — — — — — 1–0 3–1 2–1 —
Jaguares 1–3 2–2 — — — 0–3 — — — — 4–1 — — —
Junior — — — — — — — 1–0 3–2 — 2–0 0–0 — —
La Equidad — — 3–4 4–1 — — 1–1 3–3 — — — — — —
Millonarios — a 2–1 — — — 1–2 — — — — — 2–2 — 0–0
Once Caldas — 1–1 1–1 — — — — — — — — — 0–0 1–1 0–0
Patriotas — — — 1–1 1–1 — 0–0 — — — — — — 0–2
Rionegro Águilas — — — — 1–1 1–1 — 2–0 — — — — — 1–0
Santa Fe 2–0 — 2–2 — — — — 1–1 — 3–1 a — — — —
Updated to match(es) played on 10 March 2020. Source: Dimayor, Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top goalscorers
As of 10 March 2020
Rank Name Club Goals
1 Michael Rangel América de Cali 5
Diego Valdés Santa Fe
3 Andrés Andrade Atlético Nacional 4
Miguel Borja Junior
Diomar Díaz Jaguares
Jefferson Duque Atlético Nacional
Jairo Molina Deportivo Pereira
Jáder Obrian Rionegro Águilas
Pablo Sabbag La Equidad
Gustavo Torres Atlético Nacional

Source: Soccerway

Relegation

A separate table is kept to determine the teams that get relegated to the Categoría Primera B for the next season. This table is elaborated from a sum of all first stage games played for the current season and the previous two seasons. For purposes of elaborating the table, promoted teams are given the same point and goal tallies as the team in the 18th position at the start of the season.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no teams will be relegated at the end of this season, with relegation being postponed until the end of the first semester of 2021 in order to ensure teams could be able to play the same amount of matches as originally scheduled.[7]

Pos
 Team 2018
Pts		 2019
Pts		 2020
Pts		 Total
Pld		 Total
GF		 Total
GA		 Total
GD		 Total
Pts
1 Atlético Nacional 716615861227745152
2 Deportes Tolima 726413851157144149
3 Independiente Medellín 6959118613310330139
4 Junior 62631386996633138
5 Deportivo Cali 586711851108030136
6 Once Caldas 635612861048222131
7 América de Cali 476712861071061126
8 Millonarios 5167685103949124
9 Santa Fe 56461386967323115
10 Atlético Bucaramanga 584698692105–13113
11 La Equidad 614298696915112
12 Alianza Petrolera 4255138690100–10110
13 Rionegro Águilas 5740108690107–17107
14 Cúcuta Deportivo 4259686105125–20107
15 Deportivo Pasto 355414857983–4103
16 Patriotas 495048676104–28103
17 Envigado 464798693104–11102
18 Deportivo Pereira 3938118670124–5488
19 Jaguares 393878671129–5884
20 Boyacá Chicó 393858665124–5982

Source: Dimayor
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal difference; 3rd goals scored; 4th away goals scored.

gollark: Hmm, so arbitrary SVGs?!
gollark: Also, fun idea: add a command to provide arbitrary striped lime emojis on demand.
gollark: What's the difference?
gollark: Interesting fact: cryoapioforms approach from the north.
gollark: That's just a/the bad definition.

See also

References
  1. "Síntesis final de la asamblea extraordinaria de la DIMAYOR" (in Spanish). DIMAYOR. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  2. "Suspendido el fútbol profesional colombiano por coronavirus" (in Spanish). El Tiempo. 13 March 2020.
  3. "DIMAYOR envió comunicación a los clubes del FPC para la implementación del Protocolo de Bioseguridad" (in Spanish). DIMAYOR. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  4. "Ya hay una fecha para un posible inicio del fútbol colombiano" (in Spanish). Futbolred. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  5. "¡Aceptado! Así será el retorno del fútbol colombiano". El Tiempo. 25 July 2020.
  6. "Síntesis del primer día de la Asamblea Extraordinaria de la DIMAYOR" (in Spanish). DIMAYOR. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  7. "El FPC no tendrá descenso en el 2020" (in Spanish). Marca Colombia. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  8. "Alexis García vuelve a ser 'asegurador': La Equidad oficializó su llegada para el 2020" (in Spanish). Gol Caracol. 7 January 2020.
  9. "Millonarios acepta la renuncia de Jorge Luis Pinto como DT" (in Spanish). AS Colombia. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  10. "Oficial: Gamero firmó su contrato como nuevo técnico de Millonarios" (in Spanish). Futbolred. 4 December 2019.
  11. "'Willy' Rodríguez y 'Cenizo' Nunes, nuevo cuerpo técnico del Atlético" (in Spanish). Vanguardia. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  12. "Van 15 cambios de DT: Flabio Torres no continuará en Rionegro Águilas" (in Spanish). Futbolred. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  13. "El venezolano Francesco Stifano, nuevo técnico de Rionegro Águilas" (in Spanish). Caracol Radio. 12 December 2019.
  14. "Guillermo Sanguinetti habla sobre su salida del Cúcuta" (in Spanish). W Radio. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  15. "Por fin hubo noticias de Cúcuta: el club ya tiene nuevo entrenador" (in Spanish). Futbolred. 5 January 2020.
  16. "Así fue la emotiva despedida de Alberto Gamero en Deportes Tolima" (in Spanish). Futbolred. 4 December 2019.
  17. "Día de anuncios en Tolima: nuevo DT y se llevan una joven figura" (in Spanish). Futbolred. 6 December 2019.
  18. "Octavio Zambrano deja el Pasto por falta de pago" (in Spanish). AS Colombia. 4 December 2019.
  19. "¡Confirmado! Lucas Pusineri deja la dirección técnica del Deportivo Cali" (in Spanish). El País. 7 December 2019.
  20. "¡Es oficial! Deportivo Cali definió a su nuevo entrenador para 2020" (in Spanish). Futbolred. 13 December 2019.
  21. "Primer técnico despedido de 2020: el 'Willy' Rodríguez deja Bucaramanga" (in Spanish). Antena 2. 17 February 2020.
  22. "Y cayó el segundo: Jairo Patiño se va del Cúcuta Deportivo" (in Spanish). El Tiempo. 17 February 2020.
  23. "Oficial: Jorge Artigas es el nuevo técnico del Cúcuta Deportivo" (in Spanish). AS Colombia. 17 February 2020.
  24. "Sanguinetti vuelve a Colombia y tendrá otra experiencia en la Liga" (in Spanish). Futbolred. 22 February 2020.
  25. "Comienzo soñado y final decepcionante: sale otro técnico en la Liga" (in Spanish). Futbolred. 12 March 2020.
  26. "JAGUARES ANUNCIÓ EL REEMPLAZO DE JUAN CRUZ REAL, HOY EN AMÉRICA DE CALI" (in Spanish). Antena 2. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  27. "América de Cali le suspendió el contrato a Alexandre Guimaraes" (in Spanish). El País. 29 May 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  28. ""Guimaraes termina contrato el 14 de junio, estamos en proceso de desvinculación": Mauricio Romero" (in Spanish). El País. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  29. "Se viste de rojo: América presenta oficialmente a Juan Cruz Real" (in Spanish). Futbolred. 13 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
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