Celebrations of Universidad Católica players and fans after winning a fourth straight championship. | |
| Season | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 27 March – 5 December 2021 |
| Champions | Universidad Católica (16th title) |
| Relegated | Deportes Melipilla Santiago Wanderers |
| Copa Libertadores | Universidad Católica Colo-Colo Audax Italiano Everton (viaCopa Chile) |
| Copa Sudamericana | Unión La Calera Unión Española Deportes Antofagasta Ñublense |
| Matches | 272 |
| Goals | 681 (2.5 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Gonzalo Sosa Fernando Zampedri (23 goals each) |
| Biggest home win | Ñublense 6–1Unión Española (13 November) |
| Biggest away win | Everton 0–4La Serena (30 April) S. Wanderers 0–4Colo-Colo (29 July) |
| Highest scoring | Huachipato 5–3Ñublense (16 April) |
| Longest winning run | Universidad Católica (7 matches) |
| Longest unbeaten run | Colo-Colo (10 matches) |
| Longest winless run | Santiago Wanderers (17 matches) |
| Longest losing run | Santiago Wanderers (8 matches) |
←2020 2022 → | |
The2021 Chilean Primera División, known asCampeonato PlanVital 2021 for sponsorship purposes,[1] was the 91st season of theChilean Primera División,Chile's top-flight football league. The season began on 27 March and ended on 5 December 2021.[2][3]Universidad Católica were the defending champions, and won their fourth straight title in the competition, and sixteenth overall, after a 3–0 away win overEverton on 4 December 2021, the last matchday of the season.[4]
In early February 2021, several bodies floated format proposals for the 2021 season, considering that the 2020 and 2021 editions of both theCopa Chile andSupercopa de Chile still needed to be played.ANFP considered playing a tournament with two stages, starting from late March. In the first stage, the 17 teams would play each other in a single round-robin tournament with the teams being split for the second stage in two groups: the top eight teams would play against each other for the championship, four Copa Libertadores berths and two Copa Sudamericana ones, while the remaining nine teams would play to avoid relegation, with the top team of that group also qualifying for the Copa Sudamericana. Three teams would be relegated: two teams directly and another one in a play-off. Meanwhile, the players union Sifup proposed to play a double round-robin tournament from April to December with two relegations, the 2020 Copa Chile in the first semester of 2021 and a league cup involving the Primera División teams in the second semester, with league broadcaster TNT Sports supporting a double round-robin tournament, or two short tournaments with play-offs in case the long tournament proposal was not feasible.[5]
On 2 March 2021, ANFP's Council of Presidents voted to approve the format for the season.[3] It was eventually decided to play a double round-robin tournament with the top three teams after 34 rounds qualifying for the Copa Libertadores, with a fourth berth being awarded to the2021 Copa Chile champions. The teams placed from fourth to seventh place will qualify for the Copa Sudamericana, while the bottom two teams were relegated toPrimera B, with the team placed third-from-bottom playing a double-legged play-off against the winners of the Primera B play-offs.[6]
17 teams took part in the league in this season, down by one from the previous season: 15 teams from the 2020 tournament, plus the2020 Primera B championsÑublense andDeportes Melipilla, winners of thePrimera B promotion play-offs. Ñublense returned to the top flight after five and a half years, while Deportes Melipilla played in Primera División after 13 years.[7][8] Both promoted teams replacedCoquimbo Unido,Deportes Iquique, andUniversidad de Concepción, who were relegated to Primera B at the end of the 2020 season.
| Team | Head coach | Kit manufacturer | Sponsors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audax Italiano | Macron | Traverso | |
| Cobresal | KS7 | PF | |
| Colo-Colo | Adidas | Pilsen del Sur | |
| Curicó Unido | OneFit | Multihogar | |
| Deportes Antofagasta | Claus-7 | Minera Escondida | |
| Deportes La Serena | Macron | Betano | |
| Deportes Melipilla | Training | Ariztía | |
| Everton | Charly | Claro | |
| Huachipato | OneFit | PF | |
| Ñublense | OneFit | Fanaloza | |
| O'Higgins | Adidas | Sun Monticello | |
| Palestino | Capelli Sport | Bank of Palestine | |
| Santiago Wanderers | Macron | TCL | |
| Unión Española | Kappa | Universidad SEK | |
| Unión La Calera | Siker | PF | |
| Universidad Católica | Under Armour | BICE | |
| Universidad de Chile | Adidas | Petrobras |
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deportes Antofagasta | End of contract | 14 February 2021[11] | Pre-season | 22 February 2021[12] | ||
| Santiago Wanderers | 16 February 2021[13] | 18 February 2021[14] | ||||
| Unión La Calera | Mutual consent | 18 February 2021[15] | 1 March 2021[16] | |||
| Universidad Católica | Use of exit clause | 18 February 2021[17] | 28 February 2021[18] | |||
| Unión Española | Sacked | 3 May 2021[19] | 14th | 3 May 2021[19] | ||
| Santiago Wanderers | Resigned | 8 May 2021[20] | 17th | 13 May 2021[21] | ||
| Universidad de Chile | Mutual consent | 5 June 2021[22] | 10th | 6 June 2021[24] | ||
| Santiago Wanderers | 25 June 2021[25] | 17th | 6 July 2021[26] | |||
| Unión La Calera | 1 July 2021[27] | 3rd | 1 July 2021[28] | |||
| Curicó Unido | Resigned | 25 July 2021[29] | 16th | 25 July 2021[29] | ||
| O'Higgins | Mutual consent | 8 August 2021[31] | 11th | 9 August 2021[32] | ||
| Palestino | 16 August 2021[33] | 14th | 19 August 2021[34] | |||
| Universidad Católica | 30 August 2021[35] | 5th | 31 August 2021[37] | |||
| Deportes Melipilla | Sacked | 30 August 2021[38] | 15th | 1 September 2021[39] | ||
| Deportes La Serena | 31 August 2021[40] | 12th | 1 September 2021[41] | |||
| End of caretaker spell | 7 September 2021 | 11th | 7 September 2021[42] | |||
| Deportes Antofagasta | Mutual consent | 29 September 2021[43] | 9th | 29 September 2021[43] | ||
| Huachipato | 17 October 2021[44] | 15th | 18 October 2021[45] | |||
| Universidad de Chile | Resigned | 31 October 2021[46] | 12th | 31 October 2021[46] | ||
| Santiago Wanderers | Mutual consent | 8 November 2021[47] | 17th | 8 November 2021[48] |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Universidad Católica(C) | 32 | 22 | 2 | 8 | 65 | 34 | +31 | 68 | Qualification forCopa Libertadores group stage |
| 2 | Colo-Colo | 32 | 19 | 5 | 8 | 49 | 26 | +23 | 62 | |
| 3 | Audax Italiano | 32 | 14 | 12 | 6 | 39 | 31 | +8 | 54 | Qualification forCopa Libertadores second stage |
| 4 | Unión La Calera | 32 | 15 | 6 | 11 | 41 | 40 | +1 | 51 | Qualification forCopa Sudamericana first stage |
| 5 | Unión Española | 32 | 15 | 3 | 14 | 48 | 50 | −2 | 48 | |
| 6 | Deportes Antofagasta | 32 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 34 | 36 | −2 | 47 | |
| 7 | Ñublense | 32 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 49 | 37 | +12 | 44 | |
| 8 | Palestino | 32 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 48 | 50 | −2 | 41 | |
| 9 | Cobresal | 32 | 11 | 7 | 14 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 40 | |
| 10 | Deportes La Serena | 32 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 40 | 42 | −2 | 39 | |
| 11 | Universidad de Chile | 32 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 34 | 37 | −3 | 39 | |
| 12 | Everton | 32 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 29 | 35 | −6 | 39 | Qualification forCopa Libertadores second stage[a] |
| 13 | O'Higgins | 32 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 31 | 41 | −10 | 38 | |
| 14 | Curicó Unido | 32 | 8 | 13 | 11 | 37 | 39 | −2 | 37 | |
| 15 | Huachipato(O) | 32 | 8 | 13 | 11 | 36 | 41 | −5 | 37 | Qualification forRelegation play-off |
| 16 | Deportes Melipilla[b](R) | 32 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 39 | 51 | −12 | 32 | Relegation toPrimera B |
| 17 | Santiago Wanderers(R) | 32 | 5 | 6 | 21 | 24 | 54 | −30 | 21 |
| Home \ Away | AUD | CSL | CC | CUR | ANT | DLS | MEL | EVE | HUA | ÑUB | OHI | PAL | SW | UE | ULC | UC | UCH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audax Italiano | — | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Cobresal | 1–2 | — | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–0 |
| Colo-Colo | 1–1 | 0–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| Curicó Unido | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–2 |
| Deportes Antofagasta | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 1–2 |
| Deportes La Serena | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 5–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 4–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 |
| Deportes Melipilla | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–0 |
| Everton | 1–2 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–2 | — | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–0 |
| Huachipato | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | — | 5–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Ñublense | 1–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | — | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 6–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 |
| O'Higgins | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 |
| Palestino | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–2 | — | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 |
| Santiago Wanderers | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| Unión Española | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | — | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 |
| Unión La Calera | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | — | 0–2 | 1–4 |
| Universidad Católica | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 4–3 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | — | 1–0 |
| Universidad de Chile | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | — |
| Rank | Name | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deportes Melipilla | 23 | |
| Universidad Católica | |||
| 3 | Universidad de Chile | 20 | |
| 4 | Unión Española | 16 | |
| 5 | Universidad Católica | 14 | |
| 6 | Palestino | 13 | |
| 7 | Cobresal | 12 | |
| 8 | Curicó Unido | 11 | |
| Ñublense | |||
| Colo-Colo | |||
| Audax Italiano |
Source:Soccerway
The team placed 15th in the season table (Huachipato) played the winners of thePrimera B play-offs (Deportes Copiapó) in a double-legged series, with the winner earning the right to play in the top flight for the following season.
| Deportes Copiapó | 2–3 | Huachipato |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
| Huachipato | 1–0 | Deportes Copiapó |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Huachipato won 4–2 on aggregate and remained in Primera División.