2021–22 Maltese Premier League Explained

Season:2021–22
Dates:13 August 2021 – 7 May 2022
Competition:Maltese Premier League
Winners:Hibernians (13th title)
Relegated:Sliema Wanderers
Continentalcup1:Champions League
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Hibernians
Continentalcup2:Europa Conference League
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:Floriana
Ħamrun Spartans
Gżira United
League Topscorer: Maxuell
(17 goals)
Biggest Home Win:
(11 September 2021)
(28 November 2021)
(5 February 2022)
Biggest Away Win:
(21 November 2021)
Highest Scoring:
(30 October 2021)
Matches:126
Total Goals:350
Longest Wins:5 matches
Floriana
Longest Unbeaten:18 matches
Hibernians
Longest Winless:14 matches
Sliema Wanderers
Longest Losses:7 matches
Sliema Wanderers
Prevseason:2020–21
Nextseason:2022–23
Updated:9 May 2022

The 2021–22 Maltese Premier League was the 107th season of the Maltese Premier League, the top-flight league football in Malta. Ħamrun Spartans were the defending champions, having won their eighth title in the previous season.

On 9 April, the previous season was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Malta.[1] Following the decision of the Maltese Football Association Executive Committee, the teams that had finished in the relegation places in the previous Premier League season would be relegated to the Challenge League due to having played the prerequisite 75% of matches for the seasons result to stand. However, as the Challenge League teams did not complete 75% of matches, they would not be promoted to the Premier League to replace the exiting teams, meaning that the 2021–22 season will have only 12 teams competing.[2] [3] [4]

The Premier League consists of two rounds. In the first round, every team plays each opponent twice, once "home" and once "away" (in actuality, the designation of home and away is purely arbitrary as most of the clubs do not have their own grounds), for a total of 22 games. The league then splits into two groups. Teams that finish in positions 1–6 compete in the "Top Six" and teams that finish in positions 7–12 play in the "Play-Out".

Teams

Twelve teams will compete in the league.

TeamIn league sinceCity
Balzan2011
Birkirkara1990
Floriana1986
Gudja United2019
Gżira United2016
Ħamrun Spartans2016
Hibernians1945Paola
Mosta2011
St. Lucia2019
Sirens2019
1984
Valletta1944

Venues

Ta' QaliTa' QaliPaola
Ta' Qali National StadiumCentenary StadiumTony Bezzina Stadium
Capacity: 16,997Capacity: 3,000Capacity: 2,968

Personnel and kits

TeamManagerKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Balzan Alejandro Pantoja (Caretaker)JomaInvestors Mutual Limited
Birkirkara Jonathan Holland (Caretaker)NikeMcDonald's (Front), Inter Sport (Back Top), Visit Malta (Back Bottom)
Floriana Gianluca AtzoriJomaHarmont & Blaine, Boggi
Gudja United Thane MicallefMacronAll Nuts, Handy Man, Green Finance
Gżira United Darren AbdillaPuma
Ħamrun Spartans Branko NiševićPumaJ. Portelli Projects
Hibernians Stefano SanderraJomaBezzina
Mosta Joseph GrechMacronDimbros, Nilmar
Sirens Winston MuscatMacronCafé del Mar Malta (Front), Welbee's (Front), Malta National Aquarium (Back), Ozo Group (Sleeves Both)
Sliema Wanderers Noel Turner (Caretaker)JartaziNM group, Sixt
Santa Lucia Giovanni TedescoCapelli SportMultivend, avanza
Valletta Danilo DončićPumaIniala

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of
departure
Date of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment
Sirens Giovanni TedescoResign27 May 2021Pre-season Winston Muscat27 May 2021
Floriana John ButtigiegEnd of Contract14 June 2021 Gianluca Atzori17 June 2021
Balzan Mark MillerMutual consent19 October 20219th Paul Zammit23 October 2021
Santa Lucia Oliver SpiteriSacked20 January 202211th Giovanni Tedesco12 January 2022
Valletta Cardoso Mendes3 February 20227th Danilo Dončić3 February 2022
Ħamrun Spartans Mark Buttigieg14 February 20225th Branko Nišević15 February 2022
Sliema Wanderers Andrea Pisanu16 February 202212th Noel Turner (Caretaker)16 February 2022
Balzan Paul Zammit15 April 202211th Alejandro Pantoja (Caretaker)23 April 2022
Birkirkara André Paus20 April 20223rd Jonathan Holland (Caretaker)20 April 2022

First phase

League table

Results

Second phase

Play-Out

Season statistics

Scoring

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals[5]
1 MaxuellGżira United17
2 Jurgen DegabrieleHibernians14
3 Mario FontanellaValletta12
4 Luke MontebelloBirkirkara11
Sunday AkinbuleMosta
Jefferson AssisGżira United
7 Jake GrechHibernians9
Kemar ReidFloriana
Vitor da Silva VieiraSirens
10 Vito PlutSanta Lucia8
Bogdan GavrilaSirens

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date
Mario FontanellaVallettaSirens3–1 (H)17 October 2021
Jefferson AssisGżira UnitedĦamrun Spartans4–1 (H)5 February 2022

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubClean sheets
1 Georgi KitanovFloriana11
2 Henry BonelloĦamrun Spartans10
3 Glenn ZammitGudja United9
4 Ibrahim KonéHibernians7
5 Daniel FernandesBirkirkara5
Amara Sylla
7 Alessandro GuarnoneValletta4
8 Justin HaberSanta Lucia3
9 Vukasin VranesBalzan2
Anthony CurmiGżira United
Matthew Calleja CremonaHibernians
Timothy AquilinaSliema Wanderers
Rashed Al-Tumi
Julani ArchibaldSanta Lucia
Ini Etim AkpanMosta
Johnathan DebonoSirens

Discipline

Player

Club

Awards

Monthly awards

MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the Month
ManagerClubPlayerClub
August and
September
Stefano SanderraHibernians Jake GrechHibernians
October Winston MuscatSirens Luke MontebelloBirkirkara
November Stefano SanderraHibernians Jake GrechHibernians
December Paul ZammitBalzan Jurgen Degabriele
January Thane MicallefGudja United Kurt ShawSliema Wanderers
February Gianluca AtzoriFloriana Jan BusuttilFloriana
March Stefano SanderraHibernians Jurgen DegabrieleHibernians
April and May Jan BusuttilFloriana

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sports ban forces termination of domestic competitions . MFA . 9 April 2021.
  2. Web site: MFA EXCO step up fight against money laundering and bad practices in Maltese football . Times of Malta . 14 May 2021.
  3. Web site: MFA Exco approve proposals to increase of number of overseas players in matchday squads . Times of Malta . 14 May 2021.
  4. Web site: New format proposed by MFA EXCO for expanded Challenge League . Times of Malta . 14 May 2021.
  5. Web site: Top Scorers . Malta Football Association . 6 May 2022.