2009 Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano season
# 2009 Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano season

The 2009 Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano season was the 33rd of Bolivia's top-flight professional football league. The season was split into two championships—the Apertura and the Clausura—and the Play-off

## Format

The 2009 season will be divided into two championships, each with their own format.

Apertura

The Apertura championship will be a double round-robin league format. The team with the most points after the twenty-two rounds will be declared the champion.

Clausura

The Clausura championship will be divided into two phases. The first phase will have the twelve team divided into two groups. The teams will play within each group, in addition to a cross-group rivalry (for example: Bolívar vs. The Strongest). The best three teams in each group will advance to the second phase. In the second phase, the best teams from each group will play the third best team from each group and the second best teams will play each other. The three winners of each match, plus the best loser, then play each other in the semifinals and will start of a two-legged single-elimination play-off that culminates in a final match-up. The winner of the final is the tournament champion.

The winners of each championship will earn a berth in the 2010 Copa Libertadores and the runners-up will earn a berth in the 2010 Copa Sudamericana.

## Teams

The amount of team remains the same for this season. Guabirá was relegated at the end of the 2008 season to the regional leagues. They were replaced by Nacional Potosí.

| Team | Home city | Home stadium |
| - | - | - |
| Aurora | Cochabamba | Estadio Félix Capriles |
| Blooming | Santa Cruz | Estadio Tahuichi Aguilera |
| Bolívar | La Paz | Estadio Libertador Simón Bolívar |
| Jorge Wilstermann | Cochabamba | Estadio Félix Capriles |
| La Paz | La Paz | Estadio Hernando Siles |
| Nacional Potosí | Potosí | Estadio Victor Agustín Ugarte |
| Oriente Petrolero | Santa Cruz | Estadio Tahuichi Aguilera |
| Real Mamoré | Trinidad | Estadio Gran Mamoré |
| Real Potosí | Potosí | Estadio Victor Agustín Ugarte |
| San José | Oruro | Estadio Jesús Bermúdez |
| The Strongest | La Paz | Estadio Rafael Mendoza |
| Universitario de Sucre | Sucre | Estadio Olímpico Patria |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Oriente Petrolero | Pablo Sánchez | Resigned | 2 October 2009 | Marco Etcheverry | 7 October 2009 | 4th (Apertura), 3rd (Clausura) |
| Bolivar | Gustavo Quinteros | Resigned | 10 November 2009 | Santiago Escobar | 12 November 2009 | 1st (Apertura), 2nd (Clausura) Eliminated in the Final. |

## Torneo Apertura

The Torneo Apertura was the first championship of the season. It began on February 7 and ended on July 6.

### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Bolívar | 22 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 36 | 22 | +14 | 40 | 2010 Copa Libertadores Second Stage |
| 2 | Real Potosí | 22 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 45 | 31 | +14 | 39 | |
| 3 | San José | 22 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 53 | 35 | +18 | 35 | 2010 Copa Sudamericana Second Stage |
| 4 | Oriente Petrolero | 22 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 33 | 30 | +3 | 35 | |
| 5 | Universitario de Sucre | 22 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 38 | 27 | +11 | 33 | |
| 6 | The Strongest | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 36 | 35 | +1 | 32 | |
| 7 | La Paz | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 38 | 39 | −1 | 32 | |
| 8 | Nacional Potosí | 22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 36 | 40 | −4 | 28 | |
| 9 | Blooming | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 24 | 32 | −8 | 27 | |
| 10 | Aurora | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 26 | 33 | −7 | 26 | |
| 11 | Jorge Wilstermann | 22 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 22 | 38 | −16 | 17 | |
| 12 | Real Mamoré | 22 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 25 | 50 | −25 | 17 | |

* ↑ Universitario was docked three points for not fielding enough Bolivian nationals in Round 19.
* Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano 2009 Apertura champion
* Bolívar 16th title

### Results

| Home \ Away | BLO | OPE | RMA | RPO |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Aurora | | | | |
| Blooming | | – | | |
| Bolívar | | | | |
| Jorge Wilstermann | | | | |
| La Paz | | | | |
| Nacional Potosí | | | | |
| Oriente Petrolero | 2–0 | | 1–0 | 2–3 |
| Real Mamoré | | | | |
| Real Potosí | | | | |
| San José | | | | |
| The Strongest | | | | |
| Universitario de Sucre | | | | |

### Top-five goalscorers

| Pos | Name | Club | Goals |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | William Ferreira | Bolívar | 16 |
| 2 | Abdón Reyes | Bolívar | 11 |
| 2 | Hernán Boyero | Blooming | 11 |
| 3 | Luis Gatty Ribeiro | Real Potosí | 10 |
| 3 | Álex da Rosa | San José | 10 |
| 3 | Sacha Lima | Universitario de Sucre | 10 |

## Torneo Clausura

The Torneo Clausura is the second championship of the season. It began on July 18 and is scheduled to end in December.

### First phase

Key to colors in group tables :

* Advances to Second Phase

**Serie A**

Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Bolívar (A) | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 13 | +12 | 25 |
| 2 | Universitario de Sucre (A) | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 13 | −2 | 18 |
| 3 | Blooming (A) | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 19 | −3 | 18 |
| 4 | San José | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 24 | 17 | +7 | 15 |
| 5 | Jorge Wilstermann | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 15 | −1 | 15 |
| 6 | Nacional Potosí | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 21 | −11 | 8 |

Results

| Home \ Away | BLO | BOL | WIL | NAC | SJO | UNI |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Blooming | | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Bolívar | 4–1 | | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 |
| Jorge Wilstermann | 0–1 | 4–0 | | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| Nacional Potosí | 2–0 | 0–3 | 0–2 | | 2–1 | 0–0 |
| San José | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | | 1–3 |
| Universitario de Sucre | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | |

**Serie B**

Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Real Potosí (A) | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 23 | 14 | +9 | 22 |
| 2 | The Strongest (A) | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 15 | +4 | 21 |
| 3 | Oriente Petrolero (A) | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 19 |
| 4 | Real Mamoré | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 18 | −2 | 16 |
| 5 | Aurora | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 14 | −6 | 11 |
| 6 | La Paz | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 18 | 25 | −7 | 10 |

Results

| Home \ Away | AUR | LPA | OPE | RMA | RPO | STR |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Aurora | | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| La Paz | 1–0 | | 3–0 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 |
| Oriente Petrolero | 2–0 | 0–0 | | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Real Mamoré | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | | 3–1 | 2–2 |
| Real Potosí | 2–0 | 4–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | | 1–3 |
| The Strongest | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | |

**Inter-series**

| Home team | Results | Away team |
| - | - | - |
| The Strongest | 0–0 | Bolívar |
| Bolívar | 3–1 | The Strongest |
| Universitario de Sucre | 1–0 | Real Mamore |
| Real Mamore | 1–0 | Universitario de Sucre |
| Blooming | 1–1 | Oriente Petrolero |
| Oriente Petrolero | 2–2 | Blooming |
| La Paz | 1–5 | San José |
| San José | 2–2 | La Paz |
| Jorge Wilstermann | 2–1 | Aurora |
| Aurora | 2–1 | Jorge Wilstermann |
| Nacional Potosí | 0–2 | Real Potosí |
| Real Potosí | 4–1 | Nacional Potosí |

### Second phase

Bolívar, Real Potosí, Oriente Petrolero, Blooming and The Strongest have advanced to the Second Phase of the championship. All games were played at the UTC-3 time zone.

| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Bolívar | 1–1 (a) | Oriente Petrolero | 1–1 | 0–0 |
| Real Potosí | 0–1 | Blooming | 0–0 | 0–1 |
| Universitario de Sucre | 3–4 | The Strongest | 2–2 | 1–2 |

### Semifinals

At this stage winner will face the best that qualified as best loser, while the other two qualifiers play each other. The games are round, "said the chairman of the Technical Committee of the League, Felipe Rodriguez. At this stage remains the system applied in the Copa Libertadores. Bolívar qualified as the best loser.

| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Bolívar | 4–2 | The Strongest | 2–1 | 2–1 |
| Oriente Petrolero | 3–3 (a) | Blooming | 3–2 | 0–1 |

### Finals

| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Blooming | 2–1 | Bolívar | 1–0 | 1–1 |

* Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano 2009 Clausura champion
* Blooming 5th title
* Blooming qualified for 2010 Copa Libertadores Second Stage.
* Oriente Petrolero qualified for 2010 Copa Sudamericana First Stage.

### Top-five goalscorers

| Pos | Name | Club | Goals |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | William Ferreira | Bolívar | 16 |
| 2 | Cristian Omar Díaz | San José | 11 |
| 3 | Pastor Tórrez | Real Potosí | 10 |
| 3 | Hernán Boyero | Blooming | 10 |
| 4 | Pablo Vázquez | The Strongest | 8 |

## Relegation table

| Pos | Team | 2008 | 2008 | 2009 | 2009 | Total | Total | Avg |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pos | Team | Pts | Pld | Pts | Pld | Pts | Pld | Avg |
| 1 | Bolívar | 45 | 32 | 65 | 34 | 110 | 66 | 1.667 |
| 2 | Universitario de Sucre | 56 | 32 | 51 | 34 | 107 | 66 | 1.621 |
| 3 | Oriente Petrolero | 49 | 32 | 54 | 34 | 103 | 66 | 1.561 |
| 4 | Real Potosí | 41 | 32 | 61 | 34 | 102 | 66 | 1.545 |
| 5 | Blooming | 51 | 32 | 45 | 34 | 96 | 66 | 1.455 |
| 6 | San José | 45 | 32 | 50 | 34 | 95 | 66 | 1.439 |
| 6 | La Paz | 53 | 32 | 42 | 34 | 95 | 66 | 1.439 |
| 8 | The Strongest | 40 | 32 | 53 | 34 | 93 | 66 | 1.409 |
| 9 | Aurora | 49 | 32 | 37 | 34 | 86 | 66 | 1.303 |
| 10 | Real Mamoré | 40 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 73 | 66 | 1.106 |
| 11 | Jorge Wilstermann | 39 | 32 | 32 | 34 | 71 | 66 | 1.076 |
| 12 | Nacional Potosí | 0 | 0 | 36 | 34 | 36 | 34 | 1.059 |

Color key :

* Playoff match
* Relegated to the Regional Leagues

### Relegation/promotion playoff

Jorge Wilstermann will compete in a relegation/promotion playoff against the runner-up of the 2009 Copa Simón Bolívar.

| Team #1 | Points earned | Team #2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Ciclón | 1–4 | Jorge Wilstermann | 1–1 | 1–2 |

## Torneo play-off

### First round

The First Round of the play-off began on October 31 and is scheduled to end on November 5. Team #1 will play the second leg at home. Real Potosí received a bye into the next round and Nacional Potosí could not participate since they were relegated.

| Team #1 | Points earned | Team #2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| La Paz | 0–6 | San José | 0–1 | 0–1 |
| The Strongest | 3–3 (gd) | Bolívar | 0–3 | 3–2 |
| Aurora | 1–4 | Jorge Wilstermann | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Universitario de Sucre | 4–1 | Real Mamoré | 0–0 | 3–0 |
| Blooming | 1–4 | Oriente Petrolero | 0–1 | 1–1 |

Teams in bold advanced to the quarterfinals. Team in italics went to the Loser's Round.

### Loser's Round

The Loser's Round is contested between the four best losers from the First Round. The two winners will advance to the "regular" semifinals.

**Semifinals**

The first leg was played on November 8, with the second leg played on November 14 and 15. Team #1 played the second leg at home.

| Team #1 | Points earned | Team #2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Aurora | 3–3 (4–3 p) | Blooming | 1–2 | 3–1 |
| Real Mamoré | 1–4 | The Strongest | 2–3 | 2–2 |

**Finals**

The first leg is scheduled for November 18, with the second leg for November 22. Team #1 played the second leg at home. The winner advanced to the Semifinals.

| Team #1 | Points earned | Team #2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| The Strongest | 6–0 | Aurora | 3–0 | 1–0 |

### Quarterfinals

The first legs of the quarterfinals is scheduled for November 7 and 8, with the date for the second leg to be determined. Team #1 will play the second leg at home.

| Team #1 | Points earned | Team #2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Oriente Petrolero | 3–3 (5–4 p) | San José | 0–2 | 1–0 |
| Real Potosí | 3–3 (4–3 p) | Jorge Wilstermann | 1–2 | 2–1 |
| Universitario de Sucre | 1–4 | Bolívar | 1–2 | 3–3 |

### Semifinals

The Semifinals began on November 21 and is scheduled to end on November 29. Team #1 will play the first leg at home. Unlike in other rounds, if both teams are tied on points, a playoff will be played at a neutral venue.

| Team #1 | Points | Team #2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg | Playoff |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Oriente Petrolero | 1–5 | Bolívar | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 |
| Real Potosí | 4–4 (3–1 p) | The Strongest | 5–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 |

### Finals

| Team #1 | Points earned | Team #2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Real Potosí | 4–1 | Bolívar | 1–1 | 4–3 |

* Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano 2009 Playoff winner
* Real Potosí 2nd title
* Real Potosí qualified for 2010 Copa Libertadores First Stage.
