2012 Categoría Primera A season


The 2012 Categoría Primera A season was the 65th season of Colombia's top-flight football league.

Format

Both the Apertura and Finalización had an identical format. Each championship was divided into three stages. The First Stage was contested on a home-and-away basis, with each team playing the other teams once and playing a regional rival once more. The top eight teams after eighteen rounds advanced to a semifinal round, of two groups of four playing once more on a home-and-away basis. The winner of each semifinal group advanced to the final of the tournament, which was played as a double-legged series. The winner of the final was declared the tournament champion and participated in the 2013 Copa Libertadores.

Teams

TeamCityStadium
Atlético HuilaNeivaGuillermo Plazas Alcid
Atlético NacionalMedellínAtanasio Girardot
Boyacá ChicóTunjaLa Independencia
Cúcuta DeportivoCúcutaGeneral Santander
Deportes QuindíoArmeniaCentenario
Deportes TolimaIbaguéManuel Murillo Toro
Deportivo CaliCaliDeportivo Cali
Deportivo PastoPastoDepartamental Libertad
EnvigadoEnvigadoPolideportivo Sur
Independiente MedellínMedellínAtanasio Girardot
ItagüíItagüíCiudad de Itagüí
JuniorBarranquillaMetropolitano
La EquidadBogotáMetropolitano de Techo
MillonariosBogotáNemesio Camacho
Once CaldasManizalesPalogrande
PatriotasTunjaLa Independencia
Real CartagenaCartagenaJaime Morón León
Santa FeBogotáNemesio Camacho

Torneo Apertura

First Stage

The First Stage began on January 27 and consisted of eighteen rounds and a series of regional rivalries on the ninth round. The top eight teams out of this stage advanced to the Semifinals. The first stage ended on May 27.

Standings

Results

Semifinals

The Semifinal stage began on June 13 and ended on July 8. The eight teams that advanced were sorted into two groups of four teams. The winner of each group advanced to the finals.

Group A

Group B

Finals

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Top goalscorers

Source:

Torneo Finalización

First Stage

Standings

Results

Semifinals

The Semifinal stage began on November and ended on December. The eight teams that advanced were sorted into two groups of four teams. The winner of each group advanced to the finals.

Group A

Group B

Finals

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Relegation

A separate table is kept to determine the teams that get relegated to the Categoría Primera B for the next season. The table includes an average of all first stage games played for the current season and the previous two seasons.

Team
Relegation
1Deportes Tolima705665191108'-
2Atlético Nacional615552168108'-
3Santa Fe654952166108'-
4La Equidad594561165108'-
5Once Caldas616533159108'-
6Itagüí415461156108'-
7Junior485057155108'-
8Deportivo Cali565049155108'-
9Millonarios415657154108'-
10Boyacá Chicó505349152108'-
11Deportivo Pasto484152141108'-
12Independiente Medellín573743137108'-
13Envigado326044136108'-
14Atlético Huila543941134108'-
15Deportes Quindío454740132108'-
16Patriotas434244129108'-
17Cúcuta Deportivo '484135124108'Relegation/promotion playoff
18Real Cartagena '434232117108'Relegation to the Categoría Primera B

Rules for classification: 1st average; 2nd goal difference; 3rd number of goals scored; 4th away goals scored.

Aggregate table

An aggregate table including all games that a team plays during the year; is used to determine the First Stage berths to both the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana. The best-placed non-champion will go to the first stage of the 2013 Copa Libertadores and the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best-placed non-champions will go to the first stage of the 2013 Copa Sudamericana. Atlético Nacional is already qualified to the 2013 Copa Sudamericana as the champion of the 2012 Copa Colombia.