2023 Campeonato Uruguayo Primera División
120th season of the top-tier football league in Uruguay
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The 2023 Liga Profesional de Primera División season, also known as the Campeonato Uruguayo de Primera División 2023, was the 120th season of the Uruguayan Primera División, Uruguay's top-flight football league, and the 93rd in which it is professional. The season, which was named "100 años del Club Atlético Cerro", began on 4 February and ended on 16 December 2023.[1][2]
| Season | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 4 February – 16 December 2023 |
| Champions | Liverpool (1st title) |
| Relegated | Montevideo City Torque Plaza Colonia La Luz |
| Copa Libertadores | Liverpool Peñarol Nacional Defensor Sporting |
| Copa Sudamericana | Racing Montevideo Wanderers Cerro Largo Danubio |
| Matches | 300 |
| Goals | 687 (2.29 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Ignacio Ramírez (19 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Danubio 5–0 Plaza Colonia (26 February) |
| Biggest away win | River Plate 0–4 Defensor Sporting (30 April) City Torque 0–4 Nacional (14 May) |
| Highest scoring | La Luz 3–4 Peñarol (13 February) |
← 2022 2024 → | |
Liverpool won their first league title at the end of the season, defeating Peñarol in the finals by a 3–0 aggregate score.[3] Nacional were the defending champions.
Format
On 19 October 2022, the Primera División clubs voted to keep the format used in the previous season for 2023, with single round-robin Apertura and Clausura tournaments, a Torneo Intermedio played between these tournaments with the 16 teams divided into two groups of eight, and a three-team championship playoff between the winners of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments and the best team in the season's aggregate table, which gets a bye to the finals. The League Council of the Uruguayan Football Association presented a proposal to switch the order of the Apertura and Intermedio tournaments, so that the Intermedio (rebranded as Torneo Inicial in the proposal) would be played at the beginning of the season followed by the Apertura tournament during the winter months. However, the clubs did not accept the proposal and the season will be played in a similar way to the previous ones.[4]
Teams
16 teams competed in the season: the top thirteen teams in the relegation table of the 2022 season as well as three promoted teams from the Segunda División. The three lowest placed teams in the relegation table of the 2022 season, Albion, Rentistas, and Cerrito were relegated to the Segunda División for the 2023 season. They were replaced by the Segunda División champions Racing, runners-up La Luz, and the winners of the promotion play-offs Cerro.
Racing and Cerro returned to the top flight after three and two seasons, respectively, whilst La Luz played in the Primera División for the first time ever. On the other hand, Albion were relegated after one season, Cerrito were relegated after two seasons, and Rentistas returned to the second tier after three years.[5]
Stadiums and locations
| Club | City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston River | Las Piedras | Parque Artigas | 6,148 |
| Cerro | Montevideo | Luis Tróccoli | 25,000 |
| Cerro Largo | Melo | Antonio Ubilla | 9,000 |
| Danubio | Montevideo | Jardines del Hipódromo | 18,000 |
| Defensor Sporting | Montevideo | Luis Franzini | 18,000 |
| Deportivo Maldonado | Maldonado | Domingo Burgueño Miguel | 22,000 |
| Fénix | Montevideo | Parque Capurro | 10,000 |
| La Luz | Montevideo | Parque Palermo | 6,500 |
| Liverpool | Montevideo | Belvedere | 10,000 |
| Montevideo City Torque | Montevideo | Centenario | 60,235 |
| Montevideo Wanderers | Montevideo | Parque Alfredo Víctor Viera | 11,000 |
| Nacional | Montevideo | Gran Parque Central | 34,000 |
| Peñarol | Montevideo | Campeón del Siglo | 40,700 |
| Plaza Colonia | Colonia | Parque Juan Prandi | 4,500 |
| Racing | Montevideo | Osvaldo Roberto | 8,500 |
| River Plate | Montevideo | Parque Federico Omar Saroldi | 6,000 |
Personnel and kits
| Team | Manager | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston River | Kelme | Asociación Española, Cotrans | |
| Cerro | Identidad Cerro (club manufactured kit) | Médica Uruguaya | |
| Cerro Largo | Matgeor | Silveira Agronegocios | |
| Danubio | Mgr Sport | ||
| Defensor Sporting | Puma | Médica Uruguaya | |
| Deportivo Maldonado | Joma | Enjoy Punta del Este | |
| Fénix | Mgr Sport | Cousa | |
| La Luz | Breus | Médica Uruguaya | |
| Liverpool | Mgr Sport | Puritas | |
| Montevideo City Torque | Puma | ||
| Montevideo Wanderers | Umbro | BYD | |
| Nacional | Umbro | Antel | |
| Peñarol | Puma | Antel | |
| Plaza Colonia | Mgr Sport | DGO, Intendencia de Colonia | |
| Racing | Macron | DGO | |
| River Plate | Mgr Sport | Macromercado |
Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torneo Apertura | ||||||
| Montevideo City Torque | End of caretaker spell | 21 October 2022 | Pre-season | 21 November 2022[6] | ||
| Cerro Largo | End of contract | 22 October 2022[7] | 10 November 2022[8] | |||
| Plaza Colonia | 23 October 2022[9] | 5 January 2023[11] | ||||
| Racing | Resigned | 27 October 2022[12] | 16 November 2022[13] | |||
| Danubio | End of contract | 4 November 2022[14] | 14 November 2022[15] | |||
| Boston River | 4 November 2022[16] | 17 November 2022[17] | ||||
| Deportivo Maldonado | Signed by Santiago Wanderers | 7 November 2022[18] | 19 November 2022[19] | |||
| Peñarol | Sacked | 7 November 2022[20] | 25 November 2022[21] | |||
| Nacional | End of contract | 31 December 2022[22] | 17 November 2022[23] | |||
| Fénix | 31 December 2022[24] | 17 November 2022[25] | ||||
| La Luz | Mutual agreement | 17 February 2023[26] | 15th | 17 February 2023[27] | ||
| End of caretaker spell | 20 February 2023 | 16th | 20 February 2023[28] | |||
| Nacional | Mutual agreement | 19 March 2023[29] | 3rd | 20 March 2023[30] | ||
| Boston River | Sacked | 3 April 2023[31] | 14th | 4 April 2023[32] | ||
| Fénix | 3 April 2023[33] | 16th | 4 April 2023[33] | |||
| Cerro | Mutual agreement | 4 April 2023[34] | 13th | 5 April 2023[36] | ||
| Montevideo City Torque | Sacked | 10 April 2023[37] | 11th | 11 April 2023[38] | ||
| Torneo Intermedio | ||||||
| Plaza Colonia | Mutual agreement | 17 May 2023[39] | Pre-tournament | 22 May 2023[40] | ||
| Peñarol | Sacked | 18 June 2023[41] | 8th, Serie A | 19 June 2023[42] | ||
| End of caretaker spell | 26 June 2023 | 26 June 2023[43] | ||||
| Cerro Largo | Resigned | 2 July 2023[44] | 7th, Serie B | 3 July 2023[45] | ||
| La Luz | Sacked | 25 July 2023[46] | 8th, Serie A | 25 July 2023[47] | ||
| River Plate | Resigned | 27 July 2023[48] | 6th, Serie A | 27 July 2023[49] | ||
| Torneo Clausura | ||||||
| Danubio | Sacked | 26 August 2023[50] | 15th | 28 August 2023[51] | ||
| Plaza Colonia | 28 August 2023[52] | 14th | 28 August 2023[52] | |||
| Montevideo City Torque | Resigned | 12 September 2023[53] | 8th | 13 September 2023[54] | ||
| Racing | Return to the youth setup | 14 September 2023[55] | 13th | 15 September 2023[56] | ||
| Cerro | Resigned | 2 October 2023[57] | 16th | 2 October 2023[58] | ||
| Nacional | Mutual agreement | 20 October 2023[59] | 6th | 20 October 2023[59] | ||
| Peñarol | Sacked | 15 November 2023[60] | 2nd | 15 November 2023[60] | ||
| Montevideo Wanderers | Resigned | 15 November 2023[61] | 16th | 17 November 2023[62] | ||
| Cerro Largo | Sacked | 16 November 2023[63] | 8th | 16 November 2023[63] | ||
| Peñarol | End of caretaker spell | 21 November 2023 | 3rd | 21 November 2023[64] | ||
- Notes
- Alejandro Apud was appointed manager of the club on 3 December 2022,[10] but resigned on 5 January 2023.[11]
- Caretaker manager.
- Caretaker manager until the end of the season
Torneo Apertura
The Torneo Apertura, named "Julio César Morales", was the first tournament of the 2023 season.[2] It began on 4 February 2023 and ended on 15 May 2023.[1]
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peñarol | 15 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 11 | +14 | 34 | Qualification for Championship playoff |
| 2 | Nacional | 15 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 28 | 11 | +17 | 29 | |
| 3 | Defensor Sporting | 15 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 27 | 14 | +13 | 25 | |
| 4 | Cerro Largo | 15 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 10 | +3 | 25 | |
| 5 | Liverpool | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 19 | +5 | 23 | |
| 6 | Montevideo Wanderers | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 16 | 12 | +4 | 23 | |
| 7 | River Plate | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 19 | −2 | 20 | |
| 8 | Deportivo Maldonado | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 23 | −5 | 20 | |
| 9 | La Luz[a] | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 23 | 27 | −4 | 18 | |
| 10 | Cerro | 15 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 15 | −3 | 16 | |
| 11 | Montevideo City Torque[a] | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 24 | −9 | 16 | |
| 12 | Plaza Colonia | 15 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 25 | −10 | 16 | |
| 13 | Danubio | 15 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 20 | 19 | +1 | 15 | |
| 14 | Racing | 15 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 17 | −4 | 15 | |
| 15 | Boston River | 15 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 23 | −8 | 12 | |
| 16 | Fénix | 15 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 23 | −12 | 12 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Playoff game, in case two teams are tied for first place.
If there are more than two teams tied in points: 2) Goal difference, 3) Goals for, 4) Head-to-head record, 5) Drawing of lots, 6) Playoff game, in case two teams are still tied for first place.
Notes:
- Montevideo City Torque were awarded two points and La Luz were deducted one point due to La Luz fielding the ineligible player Álvaro González during the match between both teams.[65]
Results
Torneo Intermedio
The Torneo Intermedio, named "Omar Borrás",[2] was the second tournament of the 2023 season, played between the Apertura and Clausura tournaments. It consists of two groups whose composition depends on the final standings of the Torneo Apertura: teams in odd-numbered positions play in Serie A, and teams in even-numbered positions play in Serie B. It started on 2 June and ended on 30 July,[66][67] and the winners were granted a berth into the 2024 Copa Sudamericana and the 2024 Supercopa Uruguaya.
Serie A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | DFS | WAN | DAN | PEÑ | BOR | RIV | MCT | LLU | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Defensor Sporting | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 14 | Advance to Torneo Intermedio Final | — | 2–0 | 2–1 | — | — | — | — | 3–0 | |
| 2 | Montevideo Wanderers | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 12 | — | — | 1–1 | 0–0 | — | 4–0 | 1–1 | — | ||
| 3 | Danubio | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 11 | — | — | — | 1–0 | — | 0–0 | 1–0 | — | ||
| 4 | Peñarol | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 2–1 | — | — | — | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | — | ||
| 5 | Boston River | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 9 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | — | — | — | — | 4–0 | ||
| 6 | River Plate | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 9 | 1–1 | — | — | — | 0–1 | — | — | 0–0 | ||
| 7 | Montevideo City Torque | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 1–1 | — | — | — | 3–1 | 0–1 | — | — | ||
| 8 | La Luz | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 17 | −11 | 4 | — | 2–3 | 0–2 | 3–2 | — | — | 1–3 | — |
Serie B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | LIV | CRR | NAC | RAC | FEN | CRL | DMA | PCO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 8 | +7 | 16 | Advance to Torneo Intermedio Final | — | — | 3–0 | 3–2 | — | — | 3–2 | 2–2 | |
| 2 | Cerro | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 12 | 1–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–2 | — | — | — | 0–0 | ||
| 3 | Nacional | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 8 | +4 | 11 | — | — | — | — | 0–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 4–1 | ||
| 4 | Racing | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 10 | — | — | 2–2 | — | — | — | 2–0 | 4–1 | ||
| 5 | Fénix | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 9 | 0–1 | 0–0 | — | 3–0 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 6 | Cerro Largo | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | −1 | 8 | 1–3 | 0–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–1 | — | — | — | ||
| 7 | Deportivo Maldonado | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 13 | −6 | 5 | — | 1–2 | — | — | 1–1 | 0–0 | — | — | ||
| 8 | Plaza Colonia | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 17 | −8 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–3 | — |
Torneo Intermedio Final
Torneo Clausura
The Torneo Clausura, named "Señor José Emilio Fernández", was the third and last tournament of the 2023 season. It began on 18 August and ended on 8 December 2023.[68]
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 8 | +15 | 35 | Qualification for Championship playoff |
| 2 | Peñarol | 15 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 19 | 13 | +6 | 25 | |
| 3 | Racing | 15 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 13 | +3 | 25 | |
| 4 | Nacional | 15 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 20 | 17 | +3 | 24 | |
| 5 | Danubio | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 14 | +1 | 22 | |
| 6 | Defensor Sporting | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 13 | +6 | 21 | |
| 7 | Montevideo City Torque | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 21 | 20 | +1 | 21 | |
| 8 | Boston River | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 16 | +1 | 20 | |
| 9 | Plaza Colonia | 15 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 13 | 15 | −2 | 19 | |
| 10 | River Plate | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 14 | −5 | 19 | |
| 11 | Deportivo Maldonado | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 19 | −5 | 18 | |
| 12 | Cerro Largo | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 17 | −3 | 17 | |
| 13 | Fénix | 15 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 15 | −4 | 16 | |
| 14 | Cerro | 15 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 15 | −3 | 15 | |
| 15 | Montevideo Wanderers | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 21 | −8 | 15 | |
| 16 | La Luz | 15 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 19 | −6 | 13 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Playoff game, in case two teams are tied for first place.
If there are more than two teams tied in points: 2) Goal difference, 3) Goals for, 4) Head-to-head record, 5) Drawing of lots, 6) Playoff game, in case two teams are still tied for first place.
Results
Aggregate table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool (C) | 37 | 22 | 8 | 7 | 62 | 35 | +27 | 74 | Qualification for Championship playoff and Copa Libertadores group stage |
| 2 | Peñarol | 37 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 53 | 33 | +20 | 69 | |
| 3 | Nacional | 37 | 17 | 13 | 7 | 60 | 36 | +24 | 64 | Qualification for Copa Libertadores second stage |
| 4 | Defensor Sporting | 37 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 56 | 31 | +25 | 60 | Qualification for Copa Libertadores first stage |
| 5 | Montevideo Wanderers | 37 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 39 | 39 | 0 | 50 | Qualification for Copa Sudamericana first stage |
| 6 | Racing | 37 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 41 | 42 | −1 | 50 | |
| 7 | Cerro Largo | 37 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 35 | 36 | −1 | 50 | |
| 8 | Danubio | 37 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 41 | 37 | +4 | 48 | |
| 9 | River Plate | 37 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 31 | 40 | −9 | 48 | |
| 10 | Montevideo City Torque[a] | 37 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 44 | 52 | −8 | 45 | |
| 11 | Cerro | 37 | 9 | 16 | 12 | 30 | 34 | −4 | 43 | |
| 12 | Deportivo Maldonado | 37 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 39 | 55 | −16 | 43 | |
| 13 | Boston River | 37 | 11 | 8 | 18 | 40 | 46 | −6 | 41 | |
| 14 | Plaza Colonia | 37 | 8 | 15 | 14 | 37 | 57 | −20 | 39 | |
| 15 | Fénix | 37 | 8 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 43 | −14 | 37 | |
| 16 | La Luz[a] | 37 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 42 | 63 | −21 | 35 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points, 2) Playoff game, in case two teams are tied for first place.
If there are more than two teams tied in points: 2) Goal difference, 3) Goals for, 4) Head-to-head record, 5) Drawing of lots, 6) Playoff game, in case two teams are still tied for first place.
(C) Champions
Notes:
- Montevideo City Torque were awarded two points and La Luz were deducted one point due to La Luz fielding the ineligible player Álvaro González during the Torneo Apertura match between both teams.[65]
Championship playoff
| Semi-final | Finals | ||||||||
| Liverpool (Aggregate table first place) | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
| Liverpool (Clausura winners) | 0 | Peñarol (Semi-final winners) | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Peñarol (Apertura winners) (a.e.t.) | 1 | ||||||||
Semi-final
Finals
| Liverpool | 2–0 | Peñarol |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
| Peñarol | 0–1 | Liverpool |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
Liverpool won 3–0 on aggregate.
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nacional | 19 | |
| 2 | Peñarol | 18 | |
| 3 | Plaza Colonia | 17 | |
| 4 | Liverpool | 13 | |
| 5 | Peñarol | 12 | |
| 6 | Fénix | 11 | |
| 7 | Montevideo City Torque | 10 | |
| 8 | Danubio | 9 | |
| Montevideo City Torque | |||
| La Luz |
Source: AUF
Relegation
Relegation is determined at the end of the season by computing an average of the number of points earned per game over the two most recent seasons: 2022 and 2023. The three teams with the lowest average at the end of the season were relegated to the Segunda División for the following season.
| Pos |
Team | 2022 Pts |
2023 Pts |
Total Pts |
Total Pld |
Avg |
Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 74 | 74 | 148 | 74 | 2 | |
| 2 | Nacional | 81 | 64 | 145 | 74 | 1.959 | |
| 3 | Peñarol | 59 | 69 | 128 | 74 | 1.73 | |
| 4 | Defensor Sporting | 58 | 60 | 118 | 74 | 1.595 | |
| 5 | River Plate | 60 | 48 | 108 | 74 | 1.459 | |
| 6 | Deportivo Maldonado | 63 | 43 | 106 | 74 | 1.432 | |
| 7 | Danubio | 56 | 48 | 104 | 74 | 1.405 | |
| 8 | Boston River | 62 | 41 | 103 | 74 | 1.392 | |
| 9 | Montevideo Wanderers | 51 | 50 | 101 | 74 | 1.365 | |
| 10 | Racing | — | 50 | 50 | 37 | 1.351 | |
| 11 | Cerro Largo | 40 | 50 | 90 | 74 | 1.216 | |
| 12 | Cerro | — | 43 | 43 | 37 | 1.162 | |
| 13 | Fénix | 49 | 37 | 86 | 74 | 1.162 | |
| 14 | Montevideo City Torque (R) | 36 | 45 | 81 | 74 | 1.095 | Relegation to Segunda División |
| 15 | Plaza Colonia (R) | 35 | 39 | 74 | 74 | 1 | |
| 16 | La Luz (R) | — | 35 | 35 | 37 | 0.946 |
Season awards
On 1 February 2024 the AUF announced the winners of the season awards, who were chosen by its Technical Staff based on voting by managers and captains of the 16 Primera División teams as well as a group of local sports journalists.[69] 36 players were nominated for the Public's Player and Team of the Season awards according to their ratings and evaluations by the Technical Staff throughout the season.[70]
| Award | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Best Player | Liverpool | |
| Public's Player[note 1] | Peñarol | |
| Youth Talent | Liverpool | |
| Best Manager | Liverpool | |
| Best Goal | (against Plaza Colonia, Torneo Apertura Round 12) |
Peñarol |
| Best Save | (against Peñarol, Finals 1st leg) |
Liverpool |
| Best Newcomer | Liverpool | |
| Top Scorer | (18 goals in 34 games played) |
Nacional |
| Least beaten goal in regular season | Defensor Sporting (31 goals conceded) | |
| Most minutes on field | (3,330 minutes in 37 games played) |
Montevideo Wanderers |
| Fair Play Award | Deportivo Maldonado | |
| Best Referee | Mathías de Armas | |
| Best Assistant Referee | Agustín Berisso | |
- Chosen by public voting on the competition's social network accounts.
| Team of the Season[69] | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards | Bench | ||||||||