The 2020 Meistriliiga (known as A. Le Coq Premium Liiga for sponsorship reasons) was the 30th season of the Meistriliiga, the top Estonian league for association football clubs. The season began on 6 March 2020, but was suspended after the first round due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league continued on 19 May 2020. The season concluded on 6 December, with the last match between Flora and FCI Levadia cancelled due to COVID-19 cases in both teams. The defending champions Flora successfully defended their title, winning second title in a row and their 13th in total.
Teams Ten teams competed in the league, nine sides from the 2019 season and 2019 Esiliiga champions TJK Legion. Legion made their debut in the top tier after consecutive promotions from fourth tier in three seasons. Maardu Linnameeskond were relegated at the end of the 2019 season after finishing in the bottom of the table. Kuressaare retained their Meistriliiga spot after winning a relegation play-off against Esiliiga runners-up Vaprus.
Venues
TeamLocationStadiumCapacityFCI LevadiaTallinnA. Le Coq ArenaFloraKuressaareKuressaareKuressaare linnastaadionLegionTallinnKadriorg StadiumNarva TransNarvaNarva Kreenholm StadiumNõmme KaljuTallinnHiiu StadiumPaide LinnameeskondPaidePaide linnastaadionTallinna KalevTallinnKadriorg StadiumTammekaTartuTartu Tamme StadiumTulevikViljandiViljandi linnastaadion
Personnel and kits TeamManagerCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor FCI Levadia Vladimir Vassiljev Dmitri Kruglov Adidas Viimsi Keevitus Flora Jürgen Henn Konstantin Vassiljev Nike Tele2 Kuressaare Roman Kozhukhovskyi Märten Pajunurm Nike Legion Denis Belov Denis Vnukov Uhlsport Narva Trans Oleg Kurotškin Roman Nesterovski Nike Sportland Nõmme Kalju Marko Kristal Igor Subbotin Adidas Paf Paide Linnameeskond Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko Andre Frolov Nike Verston Tallinna Kalev Dmitrijs Kalašņikovs Marek Kaljumäe MacronCoolbet Tammeka Kaido Koppel Tauno Tekko Nike Metec Tulevik Sander Post Kaimar Saag Joma Espak
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentFCI Levadia Vladimir VassiljevEnd of caretaker spell11 November 2019Pre-season Martin Reim11 November 2019Narva Trans Oleg Kurotškin15 November 2019 Cenk Özcan15 November 2019Nõmme Kalju Roman KozhukhovskyiEnd of contract28 November 2019 Marko Kristal2 December 2019Kuressaare Dmitrijs Kalašņikovs16 December 2019 Roman Kozhukhovskyi16 December 2019Tallinna Kalev Aleksandr DmitrijevMutual consent18 March 202010th Liivo Leetma18 March 2020Narva Trans Cenk Özcan19 June 201010th Oleg Kurotškin19 June 2010Levadia Martin ReimResigned10 July 20203rd Vladimir Vassiljev10 July 2020Tallinna Kalev Liivo LeetmaSacked31 August 202010th Dmitrijs Kalašnikovs31 August 2020
Format changes Due to the long pause, the season was shortened. Instead of the regular format of each team playing each of the other teams four times, the league were to be split after the third playthrough into two sections of top 6 and bottom 4, with each team playing each other in that section.
On 7 November, due to the second wave of COVID-19, the season was shortened even more with the league split into three sections after the 27th round – top 4, 5th & 6th, and bottom 4, with each team playing each other in that section.
On 11 December the season's last match between Flora and FCI Levadia was cancelled.
League table
Relegation play-offs At season's end Kuressaare, the ninth place club, participated in a two-legged play-off with the runners-up (of independent teams) of the 2020 Esiliiga, Maardu Linnameeskond, for the spot in 2021 Meistriliiga.
Kuressaare won 9–5 on aggregate and retained their Meistriliiga spot for the 2021 season.
Fixtures and results A total of four rounds was played. In the first three rounds teams played each other three times. In the fourth round the league was split into 3 groups – top 4, 5th and 6th, and bottom 4, where they played each team in their group one more time.
Rounds 1–18
Rounds 19–27
Top four rounds 28–30
Fifth & sixth round 28
Bottom four rounds 28–30
Season statistics Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals 1 Rauno Sappinen Flora 26 2 Edrisa Lubega Paide Linnameeskond 14 3 Tristan Koskor Tammeka 12 4 Marcelin Gando FCI Levadia 11 5 Henri Anier Paide Linnameeskond 10 Deabeas Owusu Sekyere Paide Linnameeskond Konstantin Vassiljev Flora 8 Vladyslav Khomutov Nõmme Kalju 9 Yuriy Kolomoyets FCI Levadia Siim Luts Paide Linnameeskond Pavel Marin Tulevik Edgar Tur Paide Linnameeskond Aleksandr Volkov Nõmme Kalju
Hat-tricks PlayerForAgainstResultDate Joseph SalistePaide LinnameeskondTallinna Kalev8–1 (A)7 March 2020 Kaspar PaurNõmme KaljuTulevik6–0 (A)31 May 2020 Edgar TurPaide LinnameeskondKuressaare6–2 (H)1 November 2020 Rauno SappinenFloraPaide Linnameeskond7–1 (A)29 November 2020
Average attendance Most games were held before empty stands due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Different teams played a different amount of home games before the lockdown. + Club Average attendance Tallinna FC Flora 698 Tartu JK Tammeka 402 Viljandi JK Tulevik 400 FCI Levadia 383 Nõmme Kalju FC 326 JK Narva Trans 285 Paide Linnameeskond 257 JK Tallinna Kalev 241 FC Kuressaare 220 Tallinna JK Legion 163+ League average 327
Awards Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthManagerClubPlayerClubMay Martin ReimLevadia Pedro VictorNõmme KaljuJune Jürgen Henn Flora Pavel Marin TulevikJuly Amir Natkho Nõmme KaljuAugust Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko Paide Linnameeskond Märten Kuusk FloraSeptember Denis Belov Legion Sergei Mošnikov Paide LinnameeskondOctober Kaido Koppel Tammeka Brent Lepistu FCI Levadia
Team of the season
Source:
PositionPlayerClubPrevious appearances GK Matvei Igonen Flora 2019, 2016 DF Michael Lilander Flora none DF Karl Mööl Paide 2019, 2017 DF Märten Kuusk Flora 2019 DF Muhammed Sanneh Paide none MF Sergei Mošnikov Paide 2016, 2014, 2013, 2011 MF Konstantin Vassiljev Flora 2019, 2006 MF Vladislav Kreida Flora 2019 MF Pavel Marin Tulevik none FW Rauno Sappinen Flora 2017, 2015 FW Henri Anier Paide none
Player transfers Winter 2019–20 – before the season
See also 2020 in Estonian football
References
External links Official website