Argentina Metropolitano

Campeonato Metropolitano – the first championship of Argentina – proceeded in the somewhat standard league format. Primera A consisted of its usual 20 teams, but the number had to be reduced in the next season to 19. The top division was subdivided into two groups of ten clubs each. The last two teams were to play relegation tournament and the top two – to compete for the title. Boca Juniors was perhaps viewed as favourite – not only because of tradition, but because they were the best South American team in the last two years. But they were not the outstanding leaders – the championship was competitive and the only clear thing were the outsiders. In Group A River Plate clinched victory with 24 points. The second place went to Maradona-lead Argentinos Juniors, but this did not mean they proceeded to the semi-finals: they were second only thanks to their larger number of scored goals. Apart from that, the record of Argentinos Juniors and Velez Sarsfield was exactly the same, including goal-difference. Play-off was played to decide who goes to the ½ finals – Velez Sarsfield destroyed Argentinos Juniors 4-0. The battle for the top places was tough: 5 clubs ended with almost equal points – the difference between 1st and 5th place was 2 points. It was different at the bottom: the last two clubs combined record did not even match 8th placed Huracan’s 16 points. Gimnasia y Esgrima (La Plata) was 9th with 8 points and Platense was last with 6 points. Both teams went to the relegation tournament.

Group B was not so tough, although the race was also close. At the end of table were two hopeless outsiders. Chacarita Juniors took the last place with 9 points. Atlanta was 9th, also with 9 points, but better goal-difference. Atlanta distinguished themselves as the only club not winning even a match in the championship: the lost 9 games and tied also 9. They also had the worst scoring record – 10 goals. The outsiders did not troubled anybody in the subgroup – the 8th placed team finished with 15 points.

All Boys (Buenos Aires) – 8th in Group B of Primera A. Perhaps other clubs would have been disappointed, but the modest club this position meant safety: they kept a place among the best.

It was not so for other teams: San Lorenzo, one of the ‘Big 5’ of Argentine football, finished 7th.

San Lorenzo finished behind a club, which was at least supposed to finish lower:

Ferro Carril Oeste finished 6th – nothing much in the grand scheme, but not bad after all, for the club did not have many famous players: Oscar Garre was the one star Rodrigues Neto, Brazilian national team defender, was the other. To a point, it was curious to see him playing for a smallish Argentine club – after all, he was part of the Brazilian 1978 World Cup squad. Garre and Rodrigues Neto were enough for finishing above San Lorenzo, but nothing else.

Boca Juniors failed too – they finished 4th with 20 points. Estudiantes were 3rd with 22 points. Well, only two clubs going ahead… tough competition. Independiente finished 2nd with 24 points and Rosario Central topped Group B with 26.

Independiente rebuilding and remaining strong: Goyen, Olguin, Clausen, Trossero, Zimerman, Killer and crouching Alzamendi, Guisti, Brailowsky, Bochini, Percudani.

Ambitious Rosario Central – winners of Group B.

The second phase of Campeonato Metropolitano involved 8 teams. The relegation tournament was vital for survival – only the winner was avoiding relegation. But even the weakest teams in the preliminary groups were not equally weak… Atlanta won just a single match in the round-robin mini-league and finished last. Chacarita Juniors won 2 matches and lost 4 – they ended 3rd with 4 points. Much better was Gimnasia y Esgrima – 3 wins, 1 tie, and 2 losses. However, they were unable to beat Platense and finished second with 7 points.

Standing, from left: Varise, Papandrea, Guyón, Rego, Grimoldi, Gianetti.

First row: Morelli, Picerni, Pesoa, Gilé, Miguel Ángel Juárez.

Not a famous squad surely, but still head and shoulders above the the other three participants of Torneo Reducido del Metropolitano. 5 wins and 1 tie – Platense finished 4 points ahead of Gimnasia y Esgrima and escaped relegation. The rest went down.

Meantime the ½ finals of the championship went ahead: River Plate won both legs against Independiente.

The new Independiente still had a long way to go – so far, they were only able to reach ½ finals.

The other pair was produced more dramatic clash: a single goal decided the winner. Velez Sarsfield managed a goalless tie in Rosario and won 1-0 at home. Unfortunate result for Rosario Central.

Thus, Buenos Aires clubs clashed for the title: River Plate vs Velez Sarsfield. The final was like the semi-finals – two legs. River Plate won both.

Standing, from left: José Jorge González, Omar Jorge, Falcioni, Orlando Ruiz, Malaquín, Quinteros. First row: José Castro, Roldán, Ischia, Julio César Jiménez, Larraquy.

The squad perhaps reveals why Velez lost – not a single 1978 World champion here. Only Roldan was a star – decent team, but nothing exceptional. Even their curious number of coaches – three: Antonio Cielinski, Juan Carlos Montaño, Alfredo Bermúdez – did not make a difference. Reaching the final was their maximum – in the final matches Velez scored only goal. And received 7! River Plate was supreme.

Metropolitano champions standing from left: Passarella, Merlo, Saporiti, Pavoni, Héctor López, Fillol. Crouching: Pedro González, Juan J. López, Luque, Alonso, Commisso.

More than familiar names here, hardly in need of introduction. The 17th title was won with confidence: River Plate lost only 3 matches during the campaign, but all in first phase. They won every match of the ½ – finals and the final. And this was not all.