First Division. The teams from the previous Metropolitan Primera A, which played for the title of Metropolitano championship, one of the two Argentine titles. No new names from the provinces, 20 teams, two going down, according the painful relegation table. But a separate tournament for the second Argentina spot in Copa Libertadores: after the regular season those placed 2nd to 5th and the top 3 teams in the Second Division final table went to the ‘Liguilla Pre-Libertadores’. The inclusion of second level teams was new, but the structure was old – cup-format direct eliminations and the winner of the final was going to be the second represent of Argentina in Copa Libertadores. For the moment, let say that the Second Division teams were all eliminated in the first round. The fate of the rest will be given in notes bellow.
Debutantes Deportivo Italiano finished last with 23 points. And since they were last in the relegation table – no chance there with only one season in the league – they were relegated.
Platense – 19th with 27 points, but no relegation, for their average in the relegation table was better.
Temperley – 18th with 27 points. Unfortunately, relegated for having second worst average in the relegation table. Wait… Average or no average, there was relegation play-off against Platense and Temperley lost it 0-2.
The good days of Argentinos Juniors were apparently over… 17th with 28 points. Practically the same squad which played for the Intercontinental Cup a year ago…
Union (Santa Fe) – 16th with 31 points. Standing from left: Humoller, Altamirano, Mauri, Passet, Jorge García, Cárdenas. First row: Armando, Toresani, Marcelo López, Alí, De Avila.
A grain of salt: this may be a line from the next 1987-88 season.
Racing (Cordoba) – 15th with 33 points. Standing from left: Víctor H. Jiménez, Lucio Del Mul, Héctor Chazarreta, Héctor Maldonado, Esteban M. Serrano, José T. Serrizuela.
Crouching: Víctor H. Ferreyra, Víctor Wolheim, Eusebio J. Roldán, Atilio E. Oyola, Raúl Chaparro.
Deportivo Espanol – 14th with 36 points.
Gimnasia y Esgrima (La Plata) – 13th with 37 points.
Estudiantes – 12th with 37 points. Nothing to brag about… just above their city rivals on better goal-difference.
Talleres (Cordoba) – 11th with 38 points.
River Plate – 10th with 39 points. On top of the world months ago… unless the Argentine championship was stronger than the world…
Velez Sarsfield – 9th with 41 points.
Instituto (Cordoba) – 8th with 41 points. Standing from left: Enrique E. Corti, Jorge F. Reinoso, Roberto Brunetto, Gustavo Antoun, Pedro Sánchez, Enrique Nieto.
Front row: Enrique Sánchez, Ramón Arsenio Benítez, Mario Cortez, Ricardo Rentera, Osvaldo M. Márquez.
San Lorenzo – 7th with 44 points. Standing from left: Giunta, Juan José Sanchez, Gugnali, Sivisky, Chilavert, Sergio Marchi.
First row: Lucho Malvárez, Moyano, Perazzo, Ortega Sanchez, Leonardo Madelón.
Let’s note: Chilavert!
Ferro Carril Oeste (Buenos Aires) – 6th with 44 points. Ferro Carril Oeste played in Pre-Libertadores and was eliminated in the semifinals by Independiente 0-1 and 0-0.
Racing Club (Avellaneda) – 5th with 44 points. Eliminated in the first round of Pre-Libertadores by Ferro Carril Oeste 0-0 and 1-2.
Standing from left: Montelongo, G. Costas, Colombatti, Cordero, Pogany, Fabbri.
Crouching: Ortiz, Medina Bello, Walter Fernández, Szulz, Acuña.
Boca Juniors – 4th with 46 points. Reached the final of Pre-Libertadores and lost it to Independiente 2-2 and 1-2.
Independiente – 3rd with 47 points. Won the second Argentine spot in Copa Libertadores after prevailing over Boca Juniors in the Pre-Libertadores tournament 2-2 and 2-1.
Standing from left: Islas, Clausen, Wiktor, Villaverde, Marangoni, Erba.
Crouching: Ríos, Giusti, Percudani, Bochini, Barberón.
Newell’s Old Boys – 2nd with 48 points. Very strong season, which they failed to win by a single point. But no strength left for Pre-Libertadores – lost in the semi-finals to Boca Juniors 0-1 and 2-5.
Standing from left: Basualdo, Tata Martino, Scopponi, Theiler, Pautasso, Sensini.
Crouching: Balbo, Yaya Rossi, Llop, Alfaro, Almiron.
Rosario Central prevailed in tough race for the title against 6 competitive foes with 49 points – 1 point ahead of Newell’s Old Boys, 2 more than Independiente. 17 wins, 15 ties, 6 losses, 64-45 scoring record – 2nd best goal-difference, second best scorers, rather leaky defense, two teams won more matches than them, but nobody lost fewer games.
Standing from left: Lanari, Balbis, Toscanelli, Bauza, Pedernera, Hernán Díaz. First row: Escudero, Galloni, Palma, Lanzidei, Gasparini.
Looking at this team… it was grit, determination, dedication, and may be some luck, for it was inferior team not only to the immediate pursuers, but to teams well down the table.
But it would be unfair to put down the squad winning the 4th title for the club – they suffered decline and relegation recently and just returned to top flight. And won immediately the title! It was remarkable success. Especially for a team lacking big stars. Not a spectacular victory, but great nevertheless.
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