2008 Torneo Descentralizado

Competition modus

The season was divided into two tournaments; Torneo Apertura from February to July and the Torneo Clausura from July to December. Both tournaments had the fourteen teams play a round-robin home-and-away round for a total of 26 matches in each tournament. The winner of the Torneo Apertura qualified to the 2009 Copa Libertadores group stage and was eligible to play in the season final if they finished above 8th place in the Torneo Clausura. The winner of the Torneo Clausura also qualified to the group stage and was eligible to play in the season final if they finished above 8th place in the Torneo Apertura. A team that would've won both tournament was automatically season champion. If one of the tournament winners failed to place above 8th place, the other tournament winner would've been season champion. If both teams failed to finish above 8th place, the team that placed higher on the aggregate table–the summation of the points earned in both tournaments–would've been season champion. The two teams that placed last on the aggregate table were relegated and the best placed team–excluding the two tournament winners–qualified to the first stage of the 2009 Copa Libertadores. The second and third best placed teams on the aggregate table qualified to the 2009 Copa Sudamericana.

Structural changes

Promotion and relegation

Deportivo Municipal and Total Clean finished the 2007 season in 11th and 12th place, respectively, in the aggregate table and thus were relegated to the Segunda División. They were replaced by the champions of the Segunda División 2007 and Copa Perú 2007, Universidad César Vallejo and Juan Aurich. The F.P.F. also invited José Gálvez and Minero into the first division.

Season overview

Universitario won the Apertura title after 6 years of failing to win a half-year tournament. They won the title with 50 points, a ten-point lead, and had four games left to be played. Sporting Cristal was the other team close to winning the title, however they had three games left to play and would have been unable to reach Universitario. Universitario had a 15-game undefeated streak and a 9-game winning streak. In the Clausura Universitario did surprisingly worse and finished 11th. They lost four games at home and failed to finish in the top 7 to contest the national title. U. San Martin finished third in the Apertura and won the Clausura with three games to spare. They achieved their second national title after only four years of existence. This is the first time since 1958 where the big three were not able to win the title for two consecutive years.

Alianza Lima experienced a terrible season because they were close to being relegated this season. Every team, with the exception of José Gálvez, gained points playing at their home ground and they had also lost several home games. Fortunately, Alianza Lima remained in the First Division. Sport Boys saved itself from relegation two years ago, however this year they could not. They were the worst team of the year and won very few games. Problems arose in the club as the players were not paid for many months. This led to a sorrowful year for the fans of Sport Boys.

Results

Updated to games played on June 25, 2008.
Source: Peruvian Football Apertura 2008 Fixture
1 ^{^} The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
²Played in Estadio Héroes del Alto de la Alianza.
³Played in Estadio Nacional.
⁴Played in Estadio Miguel Grau.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For coming matches, an a indicates there is an article about the match.

Top goalscorers

Standings

Updated to games played on December 14, 2008.
Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Results

Updated to games played on December 14, 2008.
Source: Fixture
1 ^{^} The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
²Played in Estadio Héroes del Alto de la Alianza.
³Played in Estadio Gerardo Lara Guerrero.
⁴Played in Estadio Manuel Rivera Sanchez.
⁵Played in Estadio Nacional.
⁶Played in Estadio Monumental "U".
⁷Played in Estadio Miguel Grau.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For coming matches, an a indicates there is an article about the match.

Top goalscorers

Aggregate table

Updated to games played on December 14, 2008.
Source: Peruvian Football
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
1. Universitario and U. San Martín qualified to the 2009 Copa Libertadores as Apertura and Clausura champions respectively.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

12th/13th place playoff

Atlético Minero relegated to Segunda División.