The 2019–20 Maltese Premier League was the 105th season of the Maltese Premier League, the top-flight league football in Malta. The fixtures were announced on 2 July 2019; the season started on 23 August 2019 and was scheduled to conclude on 25 April 2020. Valletta were the defending champions, having won their 25th title the previous season.
On 12 March 2020, due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malta, a decision was made by the Malta Football Association (MFA) to suspend all football activities in Malta for ten days, after initially agreeing for football matches to be played behind closed doors. This suspension was further extended on 17 March to last until 5 April, and then suspended indefinitely on 30 March. On 18 May, the MFA Executive Committee decided to prematurely terminate the league competition and the ongoing FA Trophy competition. On 25 May, Floriana were awarded the championship after a vote taken by the MFA council, their 26th title and level with Sliema Wanderers in the all-time champions list. Floriana topped the standings with 41 points at the time the league was halted. Valletta, Hibernians and Sirens were awarded the three UEFA Europa League spots based on sporting merits. Furthermore, relegation was scrapped across all leagues even if there was mathematic certainty.
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
The league season has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic since March. Valletta, Birkirkara and Gżira United proposed to the Malta Football Association that the league is not to be cancelled but resumes in June for training and in July when the first matches are to be played. These suggestions were dismissed by the Superintendent for Public Health, Charmaine Gauci, emphasizing that measures will only be lifted once the situation stabilizes. Eventually, the three clubs wrote to the Prime Minister of Malta Robert Abela to either resume the competition or cancel any sport until a vaccine is found.
On 25 May 2020, upon the assigning of the league title to Floriana, spontaneous celebrations cropped up in the town's main square. This was later ended by the Malta Police Force due to social distancing measures still being in place, although some reports argued that this was not timely. This celebration was later decried by the public and local entities. The Superintendent of Public Health recommended that all those who attended the celebration get tested; a day after this appeal a surge in phonecalls on the COVID-19 helpline was reported related with this event. The police force started an investigation on the matter.
Tarxien Rainbows, who gathered four points in 20 matches and were already mathematically relegated by 8 March 2020, kept their place in next season's top tier after it was agreed that relegations would be scrapped. The vote passed by the MFA council scrapped relegation to avoid an odd number in the following season and therefore avoid weekly byes.
Teams
Fourteen teams will compete in the league – the top eleven teams from the previous season and three teams promoted from the First Division. The promoted teams are Sirens, Gudja United and St. Lucia who will be playing their first season in the top division. They replace Qormi, Pietà Hotspurs (both teams relegated after one season back in the league) and St. Andrews, the latter losing the relegation play-off against St. Lucia to become the first Premier League side to lose this play-off against a First Division team.
Team In league since City Training Stadium Capacity Balzan 2011 Balzan St. Aloysius Sports and Recreational Complex100 Birkirkara 1990 Birkirkara Mgarr Ground0 Floriana 1986 Floriana Independence Arena (Floriana)0 Gudja United 2019 Gudja Louis Azzopardi Stadium Gżira United 2016 Gżira Gzira Football Ground0 Ħamrun Spartans 2016 Ħamrun Victor Tedesco Stadium 6,000 Hibernians 1945 Paola Hibernians Ground 2,968 Mosta 2011 Mosta Charles Abela Memorial Stadium 600 St. Lucia 2019 Santa Luċija Grawnd Santa Luċija Senglea Athletic 2017 Senglea Corradino C 100 Sirens 2019 St. Paul's Bay Sirens Stadium600 Sliema Wanderers 1984 Sliema Tigne Sports Complex 1,000 Tarxien Rainbows 2008 Tarxien Tony Cassar Sports Ground 1,000 Valletta 1944 Valletta Sirens Stadium600
Personnel and kits
Team Manager Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorBalzan Ludvig Bartolo (caretaker)JomaInvestors Mutual LimitedBirkirkara André PausAdidasMcDonald'sFloriana Vincenzo PotenzaJomaScotts Supermarket, Guess?, Go & Fun, Chanlai Auto Dealer, Evergreen Greengrocer, Terranova, Cafe' PascucciGudja United Cyril ButtigiegGivovaAll Nuts, Emilio Bilocca Handy ManGżira United Paul ZammitPumaĦamrun Spartans Mark ButtigiegJomaMach PowerHibernians Stefano SanderraJomaBezzinaMosta Mark MillerMacronDimbros, NilmarSenglea Athletic Giorgio RoselliGivovaPalumboSirens Steve D'AmatoMacronTeamsport, Gillieru Harbour Hotel, Valyou SupermarketSliema Wanderers Andrea PisanuAdidasNorth Key Real-Estate, Zarb CoachesSt. Lucia Oliver SpiteriMacronMultivendTarxien Rainbows Demis Paul ScerriErreàCassar Ship RepairsValletta Giovanni TedescoPumaIniala Additionally, referee kits are made by Adidas, sponsored by TeamSports and FXDD.
Managerial changes
TeamOutgoing managerManner ofdepartureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentFloriana Guido UgolottiEnd of contractPre-season Vincenzo Potenza15 May 2019Ħamrun Spartans Giovanni TedescoResigned17 May 2019 Manuele Blasi23 May 2019Gżira United Jesmond Zerafa22 May 2019 Giovanni Tedesco22 May 2019Valletta Gilbert AgiusEnd of caretaker23 May 2019 Darren Abdilla23 May 2019Senglea Athletic Vincenzo PotenzaSigned by Floriana15 May 2019 Mario Muscat12 June 2019Sirens Vince CarbonaroMutual consent27 June 2019 Steve D'Amato5 July 2019Tarxien Rainbows Jose Borg30 July 2019 Marko Glumac30 July 2019Birkirkara John ButtigiegResigned7 September 201912th André Paus9 September 2019Tarxien Rainbows Marko GlumacMutual consent12 November 201914th Demis Paul Scerri12 November 2019Senglea Athletic Mario Muscat2 January 202012th Giorgio Roselli10 January 2020Gżira United Giovanni TedescoSacked21 January 20204th Paul Zammit23 January 2020Ħamrun Spartans Manuele Blasi1 February 20209th Mark Buttigieg1 February 2020Sliema Wanderers Alfonso GrecoMutual consent11 February 202012th Andrea Pisanu13 February 2020Valletta Darren AbdillaSacked17 February 20202nd Giovanni Tedesco19 February 2020Balzan Jacques ScerriResigned3 March 20208th Ludvig Bartolo (caretaker)3 March 2020
Venues Ta' Qali Ta' Qali Paola Ta' Qali National Stadium Centenary Stadium Tony Bezzina Stadium Capacity: 16,997 Capacity: 3,000 Capacity: 2,968
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.
Season statistics Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Kristian KeqiFloriana142 Mario FontanellaValletta133 Andrija MajdevacBalzan114 Jefferson AssisGżira United10 Federico FalconeBirkirkara6 Aleksa AndrejićTarxien Rainbows9 Tiago AdanFloriana8 Imanol IriberriHibernians8 Jake GrechHibernians10 Soufiane LagzirĦamrun Spartans7 Jose Wilkson TeixeiraSenglea Athletic
Hat-tricks
PlayerForAgainstResultDate Jefferson AssisGżira UnitedGudja United6–1 Andrija MajdevacBalzanSt. Lucia3–0 Aleksa AndrejicTarxien RainbowsĦamrun Spartans3–2 Mario FontanellaVallettaBalzan3–1 Kristian KeqiFlorianaSirens3–0
Notes Player scored 4 goals
Awards Monthly awards
MonthPlayer of the MonthPlayerClubAugust Jake GrechHiberniansSeptember Diego Venancio da SilvaFlorianaOctober Jefferson AssisGżira UnitedNovember Andrija MajdevacBalzanDecember Andrija MajdevacBalzanJanuary Dexter XuerebMosta/Gżira UnitedFebruary Juri CisottiSliema Wanderers
References
External links Official website