2018–19 Maltese Premier League


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

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.
TeamIn league sinceCityTraining StadiumCapacity
Balzan2011–12BalzanSt. Aloysius Sports and Recreational Complex100
Birkirkara1990–91BirkirkaraMġarr Ground0
Floriana1986–87FlorianaIndependence Arena0
Gżira United2016–17GżiraGżira Football Ground0
Ħamrun Spartans2016–17ĦamrunVictor Tedesco Stadium6,000
Hibernians1945–46PaolaHibernians Ground2,968
Mosta2011–12MostaCharles Abela Memorial Stadium600
Pietà Hotspurs2018–19PietàTrinity Stadium
Qormi2018–19QormiThomaso Ground500
Senglea Athletic2017–18SengleaTa' Qali National Stadium17,797
Tarxien Rainbows2008–09TarxienTony Cassar Sports Ground1,000
Sliema Wanderers1984–85SliemaTigne Sports Complex1,000
St. Andrews2015–16St. Andrew'sLuxol Stadium800
Valletta1944–45VallettaSirens Stadium600

Personnel and kits

TeamManagerKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Balzan Jacques ScerriJomaInvestors Mutual Limited
Birkirkara John ButtigiegAdidasMcDonald's
Floriana Guido UgolottiJomaScotts Supermarket, Guess?
Gżira United Jesmond ZerafaJomaJeep
Ħamrun Spartans Giovanni TedescoSportika SA
Hibernians Stefano SanderraJomaBezzina
Mosta Mark MillerMacronDimbros, Nilmar
Pietà Hotspurs Ramon ZammitNikeFamalco.net
Qormi Matthew PsailaMacron
Senglea Athletic Enzo PotenzaMacronPalumbo
Sliema Wanderers Stefano MaccoppiAdidasDIZZ, DSM Sports
St. Andrews Michael WoodsMacron
Tarxien Rainbows Jose BorgErreàCassar Ship Repairs
Valletta Gilbert Agius JomaIniala

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableReplaced byDate of appointment
Ħamrun Spartans Jacques ScerriMutual consent31 May 2018Pre-season Giovanni Tedesco31 May 2018
Hibernians Mario Muscat
Neil Zarb Cousin
End of caretaker4 July 2018Pre-season Stefano Sanderra4 July 2018
Senglea Athletic Steve D'AmatoEnd of contract30 June 2018Pre-season Bruno Russo17 July 2018
Floriana Nicolas Hernan ChiesaSacked27 August 201812th Luís Oliveira29 August 2018
Senglea Athletic Bruno RussoSacked15 September 201813th Enzo Potenza20 September 2018
Qormi Brian SpiteriResigned6 November 201813th Matthew Psaila
Floriana Luís OliveiraSacked14 November 20189th Guido Ugolotti14 November 2018
Mosta Enrico PiccioniSacked16 November 201812th Mark Miller22 November 2018
Sliema Wanderers John ButtigiegSacked26 January 20196th Stefano Maccoppi11 February 2019
Balzan Marko MicovicResigned3 February 20196th Jacques Scerri5 February 2019
Gżira United Darren AbdillaResigned12 February 20193rd Jesmond Zerafa12 February 2019
Birkirkara Paul ZammitResigned26 March 20197th John Buttigieg18 April 2019
Valletta Danilo DončićResigned8 April 20191st Gilbert Agius 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 18 May.
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

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Taylon Nicolas CorreaHibernians18
2 Mario FontanellaValletta17
3 Haruna GarbaGżira United12
4 Bojan KaljevićValletta11
4 Tiago AdanHibernians11
4 Jake GrechHibernians11
7 Andrija MajdevacBalzan10
7 Miguel AlbaValletta10
9 Alfred EffiongBalzan9
10 Younes Bnou MarzoukSliema Wanderers8
10 Kevin TulimieriĦamrun Spartans8
10 Augusto CáseresSenglea Athletic8

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDate
Kevaun AtkinsonSt. AndrewsMosta3–118 8 2018
Bojan KaljevićVallettaSenglea Athletic5–128 9 2018
Haruna GarbaGżira UnitedBalzan3–027 10 2018
Mario FontanellaVallettaTarxien Rainbows7–08 12 2018
Diego VenancioSenglea AthleticSt. Andrews5–014 3 2019
Justin MengoloGżira UnitedPietà Hotspurs5–230 3 2019
Taylon Nicolas CorreaHiberniansBalzan5–127 4 2019

Awards

Monthly awards

Annual awards

AwardWinnerClub
MFA Footballer of the Year Andrei AgiusHibernians
Coach of the Year Stefano SanderraHibernians
Young Player of the Year Matthew GuillaumierBirkirkara
Foreign Player of the Year Miguel AlbaValletta
Best Goal Award Jurgen Degabriele Hibernians
Best Fans AwardValletta