2017–18 Maltese Premier League Explained

Season:2017–18
Dates:18 August 2017 – 22 April 2018
Competition:Maltese Premier League
Winners:Valletta
(24th title)
Relegated:Naxxar Lions
Lija Athletic
Continentalcup1:Champions League
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Valletta
Continentalcup2:Europa League
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:Balzan
Gżira United
Birkirkara
League Topscorer:Amadou Samb (21 goals)
Matches:182
Total Goals:505
Prevseason:2016–17
Nextseason:2018–19
Updated:21 April 2018

The 2017–18 Maltese Premier League (known as the BOV Premier League for sponsorship reasons) was the 103rd season of top-flight league football in Malta. The season began on 18 August 2017 and ended on 22 April 2018. Hibernians were the defending champions, having won their 12th title the previous season.

Balzan and Valletta contended the league title for the whole season and were head-to-head in the final phases.[1] On the last day of the season, on 21 April 2018, Valletta defeated Gżira United 2–1, while Balzan slipped in a 0–1 defeat against Hibernians, and as a result Valletta were crowned champions for the 24th time in their history.[2]

Teams

Pembroke Athleta are relegated after they finished twelfth the previous season. They are replaced by Lija Athletic the 2016–17 Maltese First Division champions, Senglea Athletic the 2016–17 Maltese First Division runners-up, and Naxxar Lions the 2016–17 Maltese First Division Third Place.

TeamIn league sinceCity Training Stadium Capacity
Balzan20116,000
Birkirkara199017,797
Floriana1986Independence Arena 3,000
Gżira United201617,797
Ħamrun Spartans20166,000
Hibernians19452,968
Lija Athletic2017LijaLija Stadium500
Mosta2011600
2017Centenary Stadium 2,000
2017Senglea17,000
1984Tigne Sports Complex 1,000
Saint Andrews2015800
Tarxien Rainbows2008Tony Cassar Sports Ground 1,000
Valletta1944Centenary Stadium 2,000

Kits

TeamKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
BalzanJomaInvestors Mutual Limited
BirkirkaraAdidasMcDonald's
FlorianaJomaScotts Supermarket
Gżira UnitedJomaTipbet
Ħamrun SpartansSportika SATalocan
HiberniansJomaBezzina
Lija AthleticAdidasThe Falzon Group Of Companies
MostaMacronComputer Domain
MacronVINC
Acerbis
AdidasDIZZ
Saint AndrewsMacronTipico
Tarxien RainbowsErreàCassar Ship Repairs
VallettaJomaIniala

Venues

Ta' QaliTa' QaliPaolaHamrun
Ta' Qali National StadiumCentenary StadiumTony Bezzina StadiumVictor Tedesco Stadium
Capacity: 16,997Capacity: 3,000Capacity: 2,968Capacity: 1,962

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableReplaced byDate of appointment
Balzan Mutual consent5 May 2017[3] Pre-season24 May 2017[4]
Valletta Resigned30 May 2017[5] 18 June 2017[6]
BirkirkaraEnd of contract1 June 2017[7] 1 June 2017
Sacked1 September 2017[8] 11th 1 September 2017
St. AndrewsResigned7 September 2017[9] 9th12 September 2017
Naxxar 13th8 September 2017[10]
VallettaMutual consent20 December 20173rd20 December 2017[11]
HiberniansResigned5 March 2018[12] 6th
Neil Zarb Cousin
6 March 2018[13]

League table

Results

Each team plays every other team in the league home-and-away for a total of 26 matches played each.

Relegation play-offs

A play-off match took place between the twelfth-placed team from the Premier League, Tarxien Rainbows, and the third-placed team from the First Division, Zejtun Corinthians, for a place in the 2018–19 Maltese Premier League.

Top scorers

[14]

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Amadou SambGżira United21
2 Mario FontanellaFloriana17
3 Bojan KaljevicBalzan14
4 Jake GrechBirkirkara11
Erjon BeuLija Athletic
Jurgen DegabrieleHibernians
7 Clayton FaillaHibernians10
Emmanuel OkoyeGżira United
Samba TounkaraTarxien Rainbows
Ricardo da Silva FariaTarxien Rainbows

Awards

Monthly awards

MonthPlayer of the Month
PlayerClub
August[15] Michael MifsudValletta
September[16] Amadou SambGżira United
October[17] CadúBalzan
November[18] CadúBalzan
December[19] Maurizio VellaFloriana
January[20] Kemar David ReidSt. Andrews
February[21] Jackson LimaHibernians
March[22] Matteo PiciolloValletta
April[23] Kevaughn AtkinsonSt. Andrews

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Balzan and Valletta ready for title-winning effort . Times of Malta . Valhmor . Camilleri . 21 April 2018 .
  2. News: It's Valletta's 24th Premier League title as Hibernians shatter Balzan's dreams . The Malta Independent . 21 April 2018 . 21 April 2018 .
  3. News: Replay (Net Television) . Facebook . 5 May 2017 . mt .
  4. News: Balzan name Micovic as new head coach . . 25 May 2017 . 30 December 2017 .
  5. News: Valletta Football Club Press Release . 31 May 2017 . Valletta F.C. . Matthew . Carbonaro . 30 December 2017 .
  6. News: Zoran Popovic appointed Valletta FC coach . Valletta F.C. . 18 June 2017 . 30 December 2017 .
  7. News: Mr. Peter Pullicino appointed as Club's Head Coach . Birkirkara F.C. . Ivan . Mizzi . 1 June 2017 . 1 June 2017 .
  8. News: Mr. Paul Zammit appointed as the new Club's Head Coach . Birkirkara F.C. . Ayrton . Galea . 1 September 2017 . 10 October 2017 .
  9. News: Danilo Doncic m'għadux coach ta' St Andrews Luxol . TVM . 7 September 2017 . 7 September 2017 . mt .
  10. News: New Technical Director Stuart Watkiss . Naxxar Lions F.C. . 3 September 2017 . 17 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141324/https://www.naxxarlions.com/single-post/2017/09/02/New-Technical-Director-Stuart-Watkiss . 12 June 2018 . dead . dmy-all .
  11. News: Danilo Doncic is new head coach of Valletta FC . Valletta F.C. . 20 December 2017 . 30 December 2017 .
  12. News: Hibernians FC part ways with coach Mark Miller . The Malta Independent . 5 March 2018 . 17 March 2018 .
  13. News: Hibernians FC: Mansueto jirriżenja; Mario Muscat jieħu f'idejh it-taħriġ; Tedesco pole-position . TVM . 6 March 2018 . 1 April 2018 . mt .
  14. Web site: Top Scorers . MFA . 1 December 2017 .
  15. News: Michael Mifsud wins BOV Player of the Month Award for August . 10 October 2017 . MFA . en.
  16. News: BOV Player of the Month: Amadou Samb wins September Award . 10 October 2017 . MaltaFootball.com . en.
  17. News: BOV Player of the Month: Cadu wins October award . 11 November 2017 . MaltaFootball.com . en.
  18. News: BOV Player of the Month - Balzan's Cadu' wins October award . 11 November 2017 . Bank of Valletta . en . 1 February 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180202012611/https://www.bov.com/News/bov-pom-oct-17-cadu . 2 February 2018 . dead .
  19. News: Maurizio Vella claims BOV award for December . 4 January 2018 . Malta Football Association . en.
  20. News: BOV Player of the Month: Kemar David Reid (St Andrew's FC) wins January Award . 7 February 2018 . Malta Independent . en.
  21. News: BOV Player of the Month: Jackson Lima (Hibernians) wins February award . 2 March 2018 . Malta Independent . en.
  22. News: BOV Player of the Month: Valletta's Piciollo wins March award . 10 April 2018 . Malta Independent . en.
  23. News: BOV Player of the Month: St Andrew's Kevaun Atkinson wins April award . 26 April 2018 . Malta Independent . en.