The 2018–19 Botola, also known as Botola Maroc Telecom for sponsorship reasons, is the 62nd season of the Premier League and the 8th under its new format of Moroccan Pro League, the top Moroccan professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1956. The season started on 25 August 2018 and ended on 15 May 2019.
IR Tanger came into the season as defending champions of the 2017–18 season. Mouloudia Oujda and Youssoufia Berrechid entered as the two promoted teams from the 2017–18 Botola 2.
Teams Stadium and locations
TeamLocation Stadium Capacity AS FAR Rabat Stade Moulay Abdellah 53,000 Chabab Rif Al Hoceima Al Hoceima Stade Mimoun Al Arsi 12,000 Difaâ El Jadidi El Jadida Stade El Abdi 15,000 Fath Union Sport Rabat Stade de FUS 15,000 Hassania Agadir Agadir Stade Adrar 45,000 IR Tanger Tangier Grand Stade de Tanger 45,000 Kawkab Marrakech Marrakesh Stade de Marrakech 45,000 Moghreb Tétouan Tétouan Saniat Rmel 15,000 RSB Berkane Berkane Stade Municipal 30,000 Mouloudia Oujda Oujda Honneur Stadium 35,000 Olympic Safi Safi Stade El Massira 10,000 Olympique Khouribga Khouribga Complexe OCP 10,000 Raja Casablanca Casablanca Stade Mohamed V 67,000 Rapide Oued Zem Oued Zem Stade Municipal 3,000 Wydad Athletic Club Casablanca Stade Mohamed V 67,000 Youssoufia Berrechid Berrechid Stade Municipal 5,000
Personnel and kits
+TeamsManagersKit manufacturerShirt sponsorAssociation sportive des FAR Carlos Alós FerrerJomaChabab Rif Al Hoceima Saïd ChibaBang SportsAl Omrane, CGIDifaâ El Jadidi Ezzaki BadouBang Sportsinnjoo, Radio Mars, TGCCFUS Rabat Walid RegraguiUhlsportEmaar, Novec, LafargeHolcimHassania Agadir Miguel Ángel GamondiUhlsportAfriquia, Skoda, Souss-Massa, JolyIR Tanger Abdelouahed BelqassemGloria sportMoroccan Airports Authority, Renault, APM Terminals, Tanger-Med, Valencia, STG telecom, RCI Finance MarocKawkab Marrakesh Azedine BenisPumaPoste Maroc, Sanad, CitySport, Menara MallMoghreb Tétouan Tarik SektiouiLegeaHalib Tetaouen, Al Omrane, Radio MarsMouloudia Oujda Abdelaziz KerkacheBang SportsOC Khouribga Rachid TaoussiBang SportsOCPOlympic Safi Hicham DmiiUhlsportFitcoRaja Casablanca Patrice CarteronLegeaSiera, Nor'Dar, Prodec, Infinix, Hyundai, Or Blanc, MarsaMaroc, Atlanta AssurancesRapide Oued Zem Hassan BenabichaBang SportsMorihRSB Berkane Mounir JaouaniBang SportsSouiri, AfriquiaWydad Casablanca Faouzi BenzartiMacronIngelec, Alitkane, KoutoubiaYoussoufia Berrechid Said SeddikiBang SportsDalaa 1. On the back of shirt. 2. On the sleeves. 3. On the shorts. Maroc Telecom is a sponsor for all the league's teams. Additionally, referee kits are made by Adidas.
Managerial changes +TeamsOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming managerDate of appointmentAS FAR Abderrazak KhairiEnd of contract20 May 2018 Mohamed Fakhir21 May 2018Olympic Safi Mohamed Amine BenhachemEnd of contract30 May 2018 Hicham Dmii9 June 2018OC Khouribga Bernard SimondiEnd of contract30 June 2018 Mohamed Amine Benhachem3 July 2018Chabab Rif Al Hoceima Nacer SandjakEnd of contract30 June 2018 Mimoun Ouaali25 July 2018Wydad Casablanca Faouzi BenzartiContract termination28 July 2018 Abdelhadi Sektioui3 August 2018Chabab Rif Al Hoceima Mimoun OuaaliSacked7 September 2018 Juan Pedro Benali13 September 2018IR Tanger Driss El MrabetContract termination25 September 2018 Ahmad Al-Ajlani25 September 2018Wydad Casablanca Abdelhadi SektiouiContract termination25 September 2018 René Girard29 September 2018Difaâ El Jadidi Abderrahim TalibResigned26 October 2018 Hubert Velud30 October 2018Wydad Casablanca René GirardResigned23 November 2018 Faouzi Benzarti27 November 2018AS FAR Mohamed FakhirContract termination7 December 2018 Mouhcine Bouhlal (interim)11 December 2018IR Tanger Ahmad Al-AjlaniContract termination25 December 2018 Abdelouahed Belqassem25 December 2018Kawkab Marrakesh Faouzi JamalContract termination26 December 2018 Aziz El Amri26 December 2018AS FAR Mouhcine Bouhlal (interim)End of tenure as caretaker21 January 2019 Carlos Alós Ferrer21 January 2019Raja Casablanca Juan Carlos GarridoContract termination28 January 2019 Patrice Carteron30 January 2019OC Khouribga Mohamed Amine BenhachemSacked28 January 2019 Rachid Taoussi29 January 2019Moghreb Tétouan Abdelouahed BenhsainSacked9 February 2019 Tarik Sektioui11 February 2019Difaâ El Jadidi Hubert VeludSacked10 February 2019 Ezzaki Badou11 February 2019Kawkab Marrakesh Aziz El AmriSacked18 February 2019 Azedine Benis (interim)18 February 2019Rapide Oued Zem Tarek MostafaContract termination25 February 2019 Hassan Benabicha1 March 2019Kawkab Marrakesh Azedine Benis (interim)End of tenure as caretaker12 March 2019 Jawad Milani12 March 2019Kawkab Marrakesh Jawad MilaniEnd of tenure as caretaker12 March 2019 Azedine Benis12 March 2019Chabab Rif Al Hoceima Juan Pedro BenaliContract termination 5 April 2019 Saïd Chiba7 April 2019
League table
Results
Season statistics
Top goalscorers
fifa.com goalzz.com
Rank Player Club Goals1 Mouhcine IajourRaja CA19 Kodjo Fo-Doh LabaRS Berkane3 Koffi BouaOC Safi144 Simon MsuvaDH Jadidi135 Khalid HachadiOC Khouribga126 Reda HajhoujOC Khouribga117 N'Tji Amadou SamakeKAC Marrakesh108 Mehdi NaghmiIR Tanger99 Zakaria HadrafRaja CA8 Abdoulaye DiarraRC Oued Zem Michael BabatundeWydad AC
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Round Mouhssine IajourRaja CADH Jadidi4–2 (A)30 January 201915 Koffi BouaOC SafiDH Jadidi3–2 (H)9 March 201921 Zakaria HadrafRaja CARS Berkane7–3 (A)13 March 201921 Reda HajhoujOC KhouribgaOC Safi4–4 (H)27 April 201926 (H) – Home; (A) – Away
Annual awards The UMFP (Union Marocaine des Footballeurs Professionnels), in partnership with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, organized the Night of Stars Award in its 5th edition, which celebrated the brilliants of the Botola Pro for the 2018/19 season.
Award Winner Club Manager of the Season Faouzi Benzarti Wydad AC Player of the Season Mohamed Aziz RS Berkane Foreign Player of the Season Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba RS Berkane Promising Player of the Season Soufiane Karkache MC Oujda Goalkeeper of the Season Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti Wydad AC
Attendances
See also 2018 Moroccan Throne Cup 2018–19 Botola 2 2018-19 CAF Champions League 2018-19 CAF Confederation Cup 2018–19 Arab Club Champions Cup
References
External links BOTOLA FACEBOOK Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football