2018 Campeonato Paraibano Explained

Competition:Campeonato Paraibano de Futebol
Season:2018
Winners:Botafogo-PB
Relegated:Guarabira
Auto Esporte
Continentalcup1:Copa do Brasil
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Botafogo-PB
Campinense
Continentalcup2:Série D
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:Campinense
Serrano
Continentalcup3:Copa do Nordeste
Continentalcup3 Qualifiers:Botafogo-PB
Campinense
League Topscorer:9 goals
(Nando, Botafogo-PB)
Biggest Home Win:Nacional de Patos 6–0 Guarabira
Relegation Quadrangle Round 6, 25 March
Biggest Away Win:Guarabira 1–4 Botafogo-PB
Round 4, 24 January
Guarabira 0–3 Atlético Cajazeirense
Relegation Quadrangle Round 5, 21 March
Highest Scoring:6 goals
Botafogo-PB 3–3 CSP
Round 7, 11 February
Treze 2–4 Botafogo-PB
Round 8, 18 February
Nacional de Patos 6–0 Guarabira
Relegation Quadrangle Round 6, 25 March
Matches:72
Total Goals:157
Longest Wins:5 (Sousa)
Longest Unbeaten:10 (Botafogo-PB)
Longest Winless:13 (Auto Esporte)
Longest Losses:6 (Auto Esporte)
Prevseason:2017
Nextseason:2019
Updated:10:19, 9 April 2018 (UTC)

The 2018 Campeonato Paraibano de Futebol was the 108th edition of Paraíba's top professional football league. The competition began on 7 January and ended on 8 April. Botafogo-PB were defending champions, after defeating Treze in the 2017 final.

Format

The competition was divided into a number of stages.

In the first stage, the ten teams were divided into two groups of five. Each team played against the five teams in the other group, both at home and away, totaling ten games. The teams finishing at the top of each group qualified directly for the third stage, which is the semi-final stage. The teams finishing second and third in each group advanced to the second stage, which is the quarter-final stage. Among these two teams, the one with the best record in the competition was classified first to progress to the next stage. The teams finishing fourth and fifth in each group competed in the relegation quadrangle stage.

In the second stage, which is the quarter-final stage, the teams that finished second in each group competed against the team that finished third in the same group over two legs, one at home and one away. In both ties, the team that finished third in their group played the first leg at home. The two winning teams advanced to the third stage, which is the semi-final stage. The team with the best record in the competition up to that point was classified as third going into that stage.

In the relegation quadrangle stage, the four qualifying teams played each other both at home and away, with no points carried forward from the first stage. The two teams that finished at the bottom of this stage were relegated to Division 2 for 2019.

In the third stage, which is the semi-final stage, the team classified fourth played against the team classified first, and the team classified third played against the team classified second. Both ties were played over two legs, with the lower qualified team playing the first leg at home.

In the final stage, the two winning teams from the third (semi-final) stage played over two legs, with the team with the best record in the competition so far playing the first leg away from home.[1]

Qualification

The two finalists qualified to participate in the 2019 Copa do Brasil and 2019 Copa do Nordeste. The two best placed teams (other than Botafogo-PB) qualified to participate in the 2019 Campeonato Brasileiro Série D.[2]

First stage

Group A

Group B

Quarter-final stage

Games were played between 7 and 15 March.|}

Semi-final stage

Games were scheduled to be played on 18 March and 25 March. The first leg between Botafogo-PB and Treze was postponed due to a legal challenge by Botafogo-PB regarding who should have home advantage according to the published rules of the competition.[3] Following rejection of the challenge, the game was rescheduled for 25 March, with the second leg on 1 April.[4] |}

Final stage

Games were played on 5 and 8 April.|}

Relegation quadrangle

Games took place between 7 and 25 March.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Regulamento do Campeonato Paraibano de Futebol Profissional 2018 – Primeira Divisão (Capítulo IV, Article 9). Rules of the Paraíba Professional Football Championship 2018 (Chapter IV, Article 9). Portuguese. 6 December 2017.
  2. Web site: Regulamento do Campeonato Paraibano de Futebol Profissional 2018 – Primeira Divisão (Capítulo II, Article 6). Rules of the Paraíba Professional Football Championship 2018 (Chapter II, Article 6). Portuguese. 6 December 2017.
  3. Web site: TJDF-PB determina, e FPF adia a partida entre Botafogo-PB e Treze, pela semifinal. globoesporte.com. pt. 16 March 2018. 19 March 2018.
  4. Web site: TJDF-PB rejeita mandados de Botafogo e Sousa contra o estadual. Globo Esporte. pt. 22 March 2018. 23 March 2018.