Season | 2018β19 |
---|---|
Dates | 17 August 2018 β 5 May 2019 |
Champions |
Valletta (25th title) |
Relegated |
St. Andrews Qormi PietΓ Hotspurs |
Champions League | Valletta |
Europa League |
Hibernians GΕΌira United Balzan |
Matches played | 182 |
Goals scored | 495 (2.72 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Taylon Nicolas Correa (18 goals) [1] |
Biggest home win |
Valletta 6β0
Qormi (21 September 2018) [2] |
Biggest away win |
Tarxien Rainbows 0β7
Valletta (8 December 2018) [3] |
Highest scoring |
Tarxien Rainbows 0β7
Valletta (8 December 2018) [3] |
β
2017β18
2019β20 β
All statistics correct as of 4 May 2019. |
The 2018β19 Maltese Premier League was the 104th season of top-flight league football in Malta. The season began on 17 August 2018 and ended in April 2019. Defending champions Valletta won their 25th title, following a penalty shootout win against Hibernians in a championship decider match. [4]
Lija Athletic and Naxxar Lions were relegated after they finished thirteenth and fourteenth the previous season. [5] They are replaced by Qormi and PietΓ Hotspurs, the 2017β18 Maltese First Division champions and runners-up respectively. Tarxien Rainbows retained Premiership status by defeating Ε»ejtun Corinthians in a play-off decider. [6]
Team | In league since | City | Training Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|---|
Balzan | 2011β12 | Balzan | St. Aloysius Sports and Recreational Complex | 100 |
Birkirkara | 1990β91 | Birkirkara | MΔ‘arr Ground | 0 |
Floriana | 1986β87 | Floriana | Independence Arena | 0 |
GΕΌira United | 2016β17 | GΕΌira | GΕΌira Football Ground | 0 |
Δ¦amrun Spartans | 2016β17 | Δ¦amrun | Victor Tedesco Stadium | 6,000 |
Hibernians | 1945β46 | Paola | Hibernians Ground | 2,968 |
Mosta | 2011β12 | Mosta | Charles Abela Memorial Stadium | 600 |
PietΓ Hotspurs | 2018β19 | PietΓ | Trinity Stadium | |
Qormi | 2018β19 | Qormi | Thomaso Ground | 500 |
Senglea Athletic | 2017β18 | Senglea | Ta' Qali National Stadium | 17,797 |
Tarxien Rainbows | 2008β09 | Tarxien | Tony Cassar Sports Ground | 1,000 |
Sliema Wanderers | 1984β85 | Sliema | Tigne Sports Complex | 1,000 |
St. Andrews | 2015β16 | St. Andrew's | Luxol Stadium | 800 |
Valletta | 1944β45 | Valletta | Sirens Stadium | 600 |
Team | Manager | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
---|---|---|---|
Balzan | Jacques Scerri | Joma | Investors Mutual Limited |
Birkirkara | John Buttigieg | Adidas | McDonald's |
Floriana | Guido Ugolotti | Joma | Scotts Supermarket, Guess? |
GΕΌira United | Jesmond Zerafa | Joma | Jeep |
Δ¦amrun Spartans | Giovanni Tedesco | Sportika SA | |
Hibernians | Stefano Sanderra | Joma | Bezzina |
Mosta | Mark Miller | Macron | Dimbros, Nilmar |
PietΓ Hotspurs | Ramon Zammit | Nike | Famalco.net |
Qormi | Matthew Psaila | Macron | |
Senglea Athletic | Enzo Potenza | Macron | Palumbo |
Sliema Wanderers | Stefano Maccoppi | Adidas | DIZZ, DSM Sports |
St. Andrews | Michael Woods | Macron | |
Tarxien Rainbows | Jose Borg | ErreΓ | Cassar Ship Repairs |
Valletta | Gilbert Agius (caretaker) | Joma | Iniala |
Ta' Qali | Ta' Qali | Paola | Hamrun | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ta' Qali National Stadium | Centenary Stadium | Tony Bezzina Stadium | Victor Tedesco Stadium | |
Capacity: 16,997 | Capacity: 3,000 | Capacity: 2,968 | Capacity: 1,962 | |
Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Replaced by | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Δ¦amrun Spartans | Jacques Scerri | Mutual consent | 31 May 2018 [7] | Pre-season | Giovanni Tedesco | 31 May 2018 [7] |
Hibernians |
Mario Muscat Neil Zarb Cousin |
End of caretaker | 4 July 2018 [8] | Stefano Sanderra | 4 July 2018 [8] | |
Senglea Athletic | Steve D'Amato | End of contract | 30 June 2018 | Bruno Russo | 17 July 2018 | |
Floriana | NicolΓ‘s Chiesa | Sacked | 27 August 2018 [9] | 12th | LuΓs Oliveira | 29 August 2018 [10] |
Senglea Athletic | Bruno Russo | Sacked | 15 September 2018 [11] | 13th | Enzo Potenza | 20 September 2018 [11] |
Qormi | Brian Spiteri | Resigned | 6 November 2018 [12] | 13th | Matthew Psaila | |
Floriana | LuΓs Oliveira | Sacked | 14 November 2018 [13] | 9th | Guido Ugolotti | 14 November 2018 [14] |
Mosta | Enrico Piccioni | 16 November 2018 [15] | 12th | Mark Miller | 22 November 2018 [16] | |
Sliema Wanderers | John Buttigieg | 26 January 2019 [17] | 6th | Stefano Maccoppi | 11 February 2019 [18] | |
Balzan | Marko MiΔoviΔ | Resigned | 3 February 2019 [19] | 6th | Jacques Scerri | 5 February 2019 [20] |
GΕΌira United | Darren Abdilla | 12 February 2019 [21] | 3rd | Jesmond Zerafa | 12 February 2019 [21] | |
Birkirkara | Paul Zammit | 26 March 2019 | 7th | John Buttigieg | 18 April 2019 [22] | |
Valletta | Danilo DonΔiΔ | 8 April 2019 [23] | 1st | Gilbert Agius (caretaker) | 8 April 2019 [23] |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Valletta [a] (C) | 26 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 61 | 18 | +43 | 58 | Qualification for the 2019β20 UEFA Champions League |
2 | Hibernians [a] | 26 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 54 | 27 | +27 | 58 | Qualification for the 2019β20 UEFA Europa League |
3 | GΕΌira United | 26 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 42 | 21 | +21 | 50 | |
4 | Δ¦amrun Spartans | 26 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 35 | 20 | +15 | 46 | |
5 | Sliema Wanderers | 26 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 37 | 26 | +11 | 45 | |
6 | Balzan | 26 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 41 | 31 | +10 | 43 | Qualification for the 2019β20 UEFA Europa League [b] |
7 | Birkirkara | 26 | 12 | 3 | 11 | 33 | 26 | +7 | 39 | |
8 | Floriana | 26 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 28 | 25 | +3 | 32 | |
9 | Mosta | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 30 | 45 | −15 | 29 | |
10 | Tarxien Rainbows | 26 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 29 | 58 | −29 | 26 | |
11 | Senglea Athletic | 26 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 33 | 46 | −13 | 26 | |
12 | St. Andrews (R) | 26 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 25 | 45 | −20 | 24 | Qualification for the Relegation Play-Offs |
13 | Qormi (R) | 26 | 6 | 2 | 18 | 25 | 51 | −26 | 20 | Relegation to the 2019β20 Maltese First Division |
14 | PietΓ Hotspurs (R) | 26 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 25 | 59 | −34 | 13 |
The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards.
At the end of the season, Valletta and Hibernians finished off equal on 58 points; in the last matchday, Valletta were few minutes away from winning the title as they were leading 1β0 against Δ¦amrun Spartans, but a goal in stoppage time levelled the match. [26] Hibernians had a convincing 5β1 win over Balzan to force a championship decider to be played between the two on 4 May. [27]
4 May 2019 | Valletta | 2β2 (
a.e.t.) (4β2 p) | Hibernians | Ta' Qali |
16:30 CEST |
|
Report |
|
Stadium:
Ta' Qali National Stadium Attendance: 9,544 Referee: Malcolm Spiteri Man of the Match: Taylon Nicolas Correa (Hibernians) |
Penalties | ||||
|
A play-off match took place between the twelfth-placed team from the Premier League, St. Andrews, and the third-placed team from the First Division, St. Lucia, for a place in the 2019β20 Maltese Premier League. St. Lucia became the first First Division club to win a Premier League play-off, thereby booking a place in next season's Premier League for the first time in their history. [28]
5 May 2019 | St. Andrews (1) | 1β4 | St. Lucia (2) | Paola |
16:00 CEST |
|
Report |
|
Stadium:
Hibernians Stadium Referee: Etienne Antoine Mangion |
Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Taylon Nicolas Correa | Hibernians | 18 |
2 | Mario Fontanella | Valletta | 17 |
3 | Haruna Garba | GΕΌira United | 12 |
4 | Bojan KaljeviΔ | Valletta | 11 |
Tiago Adan | Hibernians | ||
Jake Grech | Hibernians | ||
7 | Andrija Majdevac | Balzan | 10 |
Miguel Alba | Valletta | ||
9 | Alfred Effiong | Balzan | 9 |
10 | Younes Bnou Marzouk | Sliema Wanderers | 8 |
Kevin Tulimieri | Δ¦amrun Spartans | ||
Augusto CΓ‘seres | Senglea Athletic |
Player [29] | For | Against | Result | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kevaun Atkinson | St. Andrews | Mosta | 3β1 | 18 August 2018 |
Bojan KaljeviΔ | Valletta | Senglea Athletic | 5β1 | 28 September 2018 |
Haruna Garba | GΕΌira United | Balzan | 3β0 | 27 October 2018 |
Mario Fontanella | Valletta | Tarxien Rainbows | 7β0 | 8 December 2018 |
Diego Venancio | Senglea Athletic | St. Andrews | 5β0 | 14 March 2019 |
Justin Mengolo | GΕΌira United | PietΓ Hotspurs | 5β2 | 30 March 2019 |
Taylon Nicolas Correa | Hibernians | Balzan | 5β1 | 27 April 2019 |
Month | Player of the Month | |
---|---|---|
Player | Club | |
August [30] | Michele Paolucci | Tarxien Rainbows |
September [31] | Bojan KaljeviΔ | Valletta |
October [32] | Mario Fontanella | Valletta |
November [33] | Martin Davis | St. Andrews |
December [34] | Taylon Correa | Hibernians |
January [35] | Augusto CΓ‘seres | Senglea Athletic |
February [36] | Wilfried Domoraud | Δ¦amrun Spartans |
March [37] | Younes Bnou Marzouk | Sliema Wanderers |
April/May | Jake Grech | Hibernians |
Award [38] | Winner | Club |
---|---|---|
MFA Footballer of the Year | Andrei Agius | Hibernians |
Coach of the Year | Stefano Sanderra | Hibernians |
Young Player of the Year | Matthew Guillaumier | Birkirkara |
Foreign Player of the Year | Miguel Alba | Valletta |
Best Goal Award | Jurgen Degabriele (vs Floriana) | Hibernians |
Best Fans Award | Valletta |