Tomás Yelmini
The National Professional Soccer Association (ANFP) made official the schedule of the Chilean First Division League, a tournament that will kick off on the weekend of January 20-23 and that is arousing the anxiety of the great legion of soccer lovers in Latin America.
After a long break, the ball is rolling again on Chilean soil and on Friday, January 20 will return with a special debutant in the top category. Magallanes, Primera B and Copa Chile champion, will be in charge of inaugurating the season against O’Higgins at the San Bernardo Municipal Stadium.
Meanwhile, the big names of Chilean soccer, such as Universidad Católica and Colo Colo, the last champion, will have their debuts on Sunday, January 22, both playing as visitors.
At JefeBet we offer you a report on how the Chilean First Division will be played, as well as a review of each of the five candidates to win the title in the 2023 season.
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When Does the Chilean First Division League Start the 2023 season?
The opening matchday of the Chilean League 2023 season will be played between Friday, January 20 and Monday, January 23 with 16 participating teams: Audax Italiano, Cobresal, Colo-Colo, Coquimbo Unido, Curicó Unido, Deportes Copiapó, Everton, Huachipato, Magallanes, Ñublense, O’Higgins, Palestino, Unión Española, Unión La Calera, Universidad Católica and Universidad de Chile.
The following is an overview of the five candidates to win the title:
Colo Colo
With 33 titles and 22 runner-up finishes, Colo Colo is not only the most crowned team in Chile, but also one of the greatest in South America. It is also the only team from that country to have won a Copa Libertadores.
El Cacique defends the title it had not won for five years under Argentine coach Gustavo Quinteros. A tournament that they won by a wide margin, and whose star striker, Juan Martín Lucero, scorer of 15 goals, will no longer be in the team’s front line. During the transfer window, the current champions incorporated Argentine defender Ramiro González Hernández. Colo Colo will make its debut on Sunday, January 22, as a visitor, against Deportes Copiapó.
Universidad Catolica
With its sixth place finish in 2022, Universidad Católica earned a ticket to the Copa Sudamericana. However, the Crusaders fans are not happy with last season’s performance, considering that they are one of the three great teams of Chilean soccer, with 16 titles and 21 runner-up finishes throughout their rich history. Fernando Zampedri was the tournament’s top scorer with 18 goals. They will open the season on Sunday, January 22, visiting Everton.
Universidad de Chile
Universidad de Chile had a terrible season, finishing very close to the relegation places. Therefore, it opted for a change of direction and hired the Argentine coach Mauricio Pellegrino, who has long experience coaching in European soccer. It also incorporated Colo Colo Colo defender Matías Zaldivia and Independiente of Argentina striker Leandro Fernández.
Pellegrino aims to regain the greatness of the second most crowned club in Chilean history (18). On the first matchday, La U will host Huachipato on Monday, January 23.
Ñublense
Ñublense is working at full speed for the historic 2023 season, where they will face the National Championship and the group stage of the Copa Libertadores, after a 2022 in which they finished runners-up for the first time.
Under the orders of Jaime García, there are seven new recruits, including Juan Córdova, Jorge Henríquez, Bayron Oyarzo and Lucas Abascia. The Red Devils will begin their participation on Friday, January 20, when they visit Unión Española.
Curicó Unido
Another of the teams without much history in the great feats of Chilean soccer, which for the first time qualified for the Copa Libertadores thanks to a deserved third place achieved in 2022. Curicó Unido had Uruguayan striker Diego Coelho as its key player, who scored 10 goals during the season, while Argentine Rodrigo Holgado contributed 8 goals. Curicó will open its participation in 2023 against Coquimbo Unido.
