The 2018–19 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.
Teams
Lija Athletic and Naxxar Lions were relegated after they finished thirteenth and fourteenth the previous season. They are replaced by Qormi and Pietà Hotspurs, the 2017–18 Maltese First Division champions and runners-up respectively. Tarxien Rainbows retained Premiership status by defeating Żejtun Corinthians in a play-off decider.
Team In league since City Training Stadium Capacity Balzan 2011–12 Balzan St. Aloysius Sports and Recreational Complex100 Birkirkara 1990–91 Birkirkara Mġarr Ground0 Floriana 1986–87 Floriana Independence Arena 0 Gżira United 2016–17 Gżira Gżira Football Ground0 Ħamrun Spartans 2016–17 Ħamrun Victor Tedesco Stadium 6,000 Hibernians 1945–46 Paola Hibernians Ground 2,968 Mosta 2011–12 Mosta Charles Abela Memorial Stadium 600 Pietà Hotspurs 2018–19 Pietà Trinity Stadium Qormi 2018–19 Qormi Thomaso Ground500 Senglea Athletic 2017–18 Senglea Ta' Qali National Stadium 17,797 Tarxien Rainbows 2008–09 Tarxien Tony Cassar Sports Ground 1,000 Sliema Wanderers 1984–85 Sliema Tigne Sports Complex 1,000 St. Andrews 2015–16 St. Andrew's Luxol Stadium 800 Valletta1944–45 Valletta Sirens Stadium600
Personnel and kits
Team Manager Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorBalzan Jacques ScerriJomaInvestors Mutual LimitedBirkirkara John ButtigiegAdidasMcDonald'sFloriana Guido UgolottiJomaScotts Supermarket, Guess?Gżira United Jesmond ZerafaJomaJeepĦamrun Spartans Giovanni TedescoSportika SAHibernians Stefano SanderraJomaBezzinaMosta Mark MillerMacronDimbros, NilmarPietà Hotspurs Ramon ZammitNikeFamalco.netQormi Matthew PsailaMacronSenglea Athletic Enzo PotenzaMacronPalumboSliema Wanderers Stefano MaccoppiAdidasDIZZ, DSM SportsSt. Andrews Michael WoodsMacronTarxien Rainbows Jose BorgErreàCassar Ship RepairsValletta Gilbert Agius (caretaker)JomaIniala Additionally, referee kits are made by Adidas, sponsored by TeamSports and FXDD, and Nike has a new match ball.
Venues 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
Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Replaced by Date of appointment Ħamrun Spartans Jacques Scerri Mutual consent 31 May 2018Pre-season Giovanni Tedesco 31 May 2018 Hibernians Mario Muscat Neil Zarb Cousin End of caretaker 4 July 2018 Stefano Sanderra 4 July 2018 Senglea Athletic Steve D'Amato End of contract 30 June 2018 Bruno Russo 17 July 2018 Floriana Nicolás Chiesa Sacked 27 August 2018 12th Luís Oliveira 29 August 2018 Senglea Athletic Bruno Russo Sacked 15 September 2018 13th Enzo Potenza 20 September 2018 Qormi Brian Spiteri Resigned 6 November 2018 13th Matthew Psaila Floriana Luís OliveiraSacked 14 November 2018 9th Guido Ugolotti 14 November 2018 Mosta Enrico Piccioni 16 November 2018 12th Mark Miller 22 November 2018 Sliema Wanderers John Buttigieg 26 January 2019 6th Stefano Maccoppi 11 February 2019 Balzan Marko MićovićResigned 3 February 2019 6th Jacques Scerri 5 February 2019 Gżira United Darren Abdilla 12 February 2019 3rd Jesmond Zerafa 12 February 2019 Birkirkara Paul Zammit 26 March 2019 7th John Buttigieg 18 April 2019 Valletta Danilo Dončić 8 April 2019 1st Gilbert Agius (caretaker) 8 April 2019
League table
Results
Positions by round
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.
Championship play-off
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 1–0 against Ħamrun Spartans, but a goal in stoppage time levelled the match. Hibernians had a convincing 5–1 win over Balzan to force a championship decider to be played between the two on 4 May.
Valletta qualified for the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League First qualifying round. Hibernians qualified for the 2019–20 UEFA Europa League First qualifying round.
Relegation play-offs
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 2019–20 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.
Season statistics Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Taylon Nicolas CorreaHibernians182 Mario FontanellaValletta173 Haruna GarbaGżira United124 Bojan KaljevićValletta11 Tiago AdanHibernians Jake GrechHibernians7 Andrija MajdevacBalzan10 Miguel AlbaValletta9 Alfred EffiongBalzan910 Younes Bnou MarzoukSliema Wanderers8 Kevin TulimieriĦamrun Spartans Augusto CáseresSenglea Athletic
Hat-tricks
PlayerForAgainstResultDate Kevaun AtkinsonSt. AndrewsMosta3–1 Bojan KaljevićVallettaSenglea Athletic5–1 Haruna GarbaGżira UnitedBalzan3–0 Mario FontanellaVallettaTarxien Rainbows7–0 Diego VenancioSenglea AthleticSt. Andrews5–0 Justin MengoloGżira UnitedPietà Hotspurs5–2 Taylon Nicolas CorreaHiberniansBalzan5–1
Awards Monthly awards
MonthPlayer of the MonthPlayerClubAugust Michele PaolucciTarxien RainbowsSeptember Bojan KaljevićVallettaOctober Mario FontanellaVallettaNovember Martin DavisSt. AndrewsDecember Taylon CorreaHiberniansJanuary Augusto CáseresSenglea AthleticFebruary Wilfried DomoraudĦamrun SpartansMarch Younes Bnou MarzoukSliema WanderersApril/May Jake GrechHibernians
Annual awards
Award 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 Hibernians Best Fans Award Valletta
References
External links Official website