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2022–23 Maltese Premier League

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The 2022–23 Maltese Premier League was the 108th season of top-flight league football in Malta. The season began on 19 August 2022 and ended on 1 May 2023. Hibernians were the defending champions, having won their 13th title in the previous season.

Maltese Premier League
Season2022–23
Dates19 August 2022 – 1 May 2023
ChampionsĦamrun Spartans
(9th title)
RelegatedPietà Hotspurs
UEFA Champions LeagueĦamrun Spartans
UEFA Europa Conference LeagueBalzan
Birkirkara
Gżira United
Matches played184
Goals scored488 (2.65 per match)
Top goalscorerJefferson Assis
(20 Goals)
Biggest home winBirkirkara 5-0 Żebbuġ Rangers
(7 January 2023)
Birkirkara 5-0 Hibernians
(2 April 2023)
Biggest away winPietà Hotspurs 0-6 Valletta
(26 August 2022)
Pietà Hotspurs 0-6 Gżira United
(4 February 2023)
Highest scoringPietà Hotspurs 0-6 Valletta
(26 August 2022)
Gudja United 3-3 Gżira United
(26 August 2022)
Sirens 3-3 Żebbuġ Rangers
(21 October 2022)
Sirens 3-3 Valletta
(1 February 2023)
Longest winning runĦamrun Spartans
(8 Games)
Longest unbeaten runĦamrun Spartans
(15 Games)
Longest winless runPietà Hotspurs
(14 Games)
Longest losing runPietà Hotspurs
(6 Games)

Teams

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Location of teams in 2022–23 Maltese Premier League

Fourteen teams will compete in the league – the top ten teams from the previous season and the four teams promoted from the Maltese Challenge League. The promoted teams are Żebbuġ Rangers, Marsaxlokk, and Pietà Hotspurs, who will return after an absence of five, seven, ten and eight years from the top flight respectively. They will replace Sliema Wanderers (relegated after thirty-seven years in the top flight).

Team In league since City
Balzan 2011 Balzan
Birkirkara 1990 Birkirkara
Floriana 1986 Floriana
Gudja United 2019 Gudja
Gżira United 2016 Gżira
Ħamrun Spartans 2016 Ħamrun
Hibernians 1945 Paola
Marsaxlokk 2022 Marsaxlokk
Mosta 2011 Mosta
Pietà Hotspurs 2022 Pietà, Malta
St. Lucia 2019 Santa Luċija
Sirens 2019 St. Paul's Bay
Valletta 1944 Valletta
Żebbuġ Rangers 2022 Żebbuġ

Stadiums

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On 17 April 2023. The Malta Football Association introduce another stadium at Gozo Stadium in Xewkija due to the final fixture of the season to be played four matches at the same time.

Ta' Qali Ta' Qali Paola Xewkija
Ta' Qali National Stadium Centenary Stadium Tony Bezzina Stadium Gozo Stadium
Capacity: 16,997 Capacity: 3,000 Capacity: 2,968 Capacity: 1,644
       

Personnel and kits

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Team Manager Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor (front) Shirt sponsor (back) Shirt sponsor (sleeve)
Balzan   Oliver Spiteri Joma
Birkirkara   Giovanni Tedesco Nike McDonald's Inter Sport (Top), Visit Malta (Bottom)
Floriana   Gianluca Atzori Joma Harmont & Blaine, Greens Supermarket Go & Fun (Right)
Gudja United   Ludvic Bartolo (Caretaker) Macron Handy Man, SixSevenEight Apex Group (Top) Thomas Smith Insurance Broker (Left)
Gżira United   Darren Abdilla Joma Gree Visit Malta (Bottom)
Ħamrun Spartans   Branko Nišević Puma J. Portelli Projects Midea (Top), Meridianbet (Bottom), Visit Malta (Bottom) Ta' Fonzu (Right), Tescoma (Left)
Hibernians   Silvio Vella Joma Bezzina
Marsaxlokk   Pablo Doffo Joma 1padel
Mosta   Joseph Grech Macron Simple Clean, PG Group Teamsport (Bottom)
Pietà Hotspurs   Rodney Bugeja Jartazi Famalco.net, A1 Supplies, Xuereb Installation Farstone Construction (Top)
Santa Lucia   Enzo Potenza Capelli Sport Multivend, avanza Elmo (Top), Konica Minolta (Bottom) Yellow Army (Left), Levissima (Right)
Sirens   Winston Muscat Macron Café del Mar Malta, Welbee's Arringo (Top), Malta National Aquarium (Bottom)
Valletta   Thane Micallef Nike Iniala Inter Sport (Top)
Żebbuġ Rangers   Brian Spiteri Joma The Convenience Shop, Coop Italia
  • Additionally, referee kits are made by Macron

Managerial changes

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Team Outgoing manager Manner of
departure 		Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Santa Lucia   Giovanni Tedesco End of contract 18 May 2022 Pre-season   Pablo Cortés Sánchez 6 July 2022
Birkirkara   Jonathan Holland End of caretaker spell 18 May 2022   Giovanni Tedesco 18 May 2022[1]
Valletta   Danilo Dončić End of contract 24 May 2022[2]   Thane Micallef 29 May 2022[2]
Balzan   Alejandro Pantoja End of caretaker spell 29 May 2022[3]   Oliver Spiteri 5 June 2022[4]
Gudja United   Thane Micallef Signed by Valletta 29 May 2022[2]   Andrea Agostinelli 8 June 2022[5]
Hibernians   Stefano Sanderra Signed by Lazio Primavera 8 July 2022[6]   Andrea Pisanu 8 July 2022[7]
Santa Lucia   Pablo Cortés Sánchez Sacked 3 November 2022 12th   Enzo Potenza 3 November 2022
Hibernians   Andrea Pisanu 6 February 2023 5th   Silvio Vella 7 February 2023
Gudja United   Andrea Agostinelli Signed by Benevento 11 April 2023 10th   Ludvic Bartolo (Caretaker) 12 April 2023

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Ħamrun Spartans (C) 26 22 3 1 45 10 +35 69 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round
2 Birkirkara 26 14 8 4 50 20 +30 50 Qualification for the Europa Conference League first qualifying round[a]
3 Gżira United 26 14 6 6 46 19 +27 48
4 Balzan[b] 26 14 4 8 37 32 +5 46
5 Hibernians[b] 26 14 4 8 45 37 +8 46
6 Mosta 26 14 4 8 47 33 +14 46
7 Floriana 26 10 7 9 30 26 +4 37
8 Valletta 26 9 10 7 37 23 +14 37
9 Sirens 26 8 9 9 25 32 −7 33
10 Gudja United 26 8 5 13 28 39 −11 29
11 Marsaxlokk 26 5 10 11 28 38 −10 25
12 Santa Lucia (O) 26 4 3 19 20 49 −29 15 Qualification for the relegation play-offs
13 Żebbuġ Rangers (R) 26 4 2 20 21 58 −37 14 Relegation to the Maltese Challenge League
14 Pietà Hotspurs (R) 26 3 3 20 22 65 −43 12
Source: Malta Football Association
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Play-offs (only if needed to decide champions, teams for relegation, or teams for UEFA competitions).
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ The winners of the 2022–23 Maltese FA Trophy, Birkirkara, qualified for the 2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League. As they finished second, the fourth-placed team in the league also qualified for the Europa Conference League.
  2. ^ a b Hibernians and Balzan finished equal on points, A play-off decider determines the fourth place and Qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference League

Results

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Home \ Away BAL BIR FLO GUD GŻI ĦAM HIB MAR MOS PIE SLC SIR VAL ŻEB
Balzan — 2–1 3–1 0–1 0–2 0–4 0–2 0–0 1–2 3–2 3–1 0–0 1–3 3–1
Birkirkara 2–1 — 1–0 3–1 1–1 0–0 5–0 1–1 1–2 3–2 2–0 2–0 3–0 5–0
Floriana 0–0 1–2 — 1–1 1–1 0–1 2–5 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–0 1–0 1–0 1–0
Gudja United 0–1 1–1 0–3 — 3–3 0–1 1–4 1–2 2–1 1–0 3–0 0–1 1–2 2–1
Gżira United 0–1 1–3 1–0 1–1 — 1–2 2–0 0–0 1–2 4–0 3–1 1–0 1–2 4–0
Ħamrun Spartans 1–0 0–0 2–0 2–0 1–0 — 1–0 1–0 2–1 2–0 2–0 3–0 1–0 4–0
Hibernians 1–2 1–1 1–0 2–1 1–2 1–4 — 1–3 2–0 2–1 3–2 1–1 0–4 1–0
Marsaxlokk 1–2 1–0 1–5 1–1 0–3 0–1 1–1 — 1–4 1–2 2–2 1–2 1–2 1–1
Mosta 2–3 1–1 2–0 1–2 0–2 1–2 0–5 2–1 — 4–0 2–1 1–1 3–1 2–0
Pietà Hotspurs 2–3 1–5 1–3 3–1 0–6 1–2 1–4 1–1 1–4 — 1–2 0–1 0–6 0–2
Santa Lucia 0–2 0–4 0–2 1–3 0–1 1–1 2–3 0–1 1–2 2–1 — 0–0 0–2 2–1
Sirens 1–3 1–0 2–2 2–0 0–3 0–2 0–1 3–2 1–2 0–0 2–1 — 3–3 3–3
Valletta 0–0 1–1 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–1 1–1 1–1 0–0 1–1 0–1 0–0 — 3–0
Żebbuġ Rangers 2–3 1–2 0–1 2–0 0–2 4–2 0–2 0–3 0–5 0–1 2–0 0–1 1–5 —
Source: Malta Football Association
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Fourth Place tie-breaker

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Because Hibernians, Balzan, and Mosta were tied on points after all matches played, their head-to-head results in Play-Out were decisive. Mosta had the fewest points in those matches and immediately finished 6th Place. The best two teams Hibernians and Balzan will play a deciding game to determine the Fourth Place and qualification for UEFA Europa Conference League.

1 May 2023 Hibernians2–3 (a.e.t.) Balzan Ta' Qali
14:00 CEST
  • Matheus Nogureira Albuguerque de Sousa   45+1'
  • Angel Yesid Torres Quinones   88'
  • Bogdan Mladenovic   91'
 Stadium: Ta' Qali National Stadium
Referee: Ishmael Barbara

Promotion or Relegation play-offs

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A play-offs match shall be played between the twelfth-placed team in the Premier League, Santa Lucia, and the third-placed team in the Maltese Challenge League, Żejtun Corinthians. The winner will play in the 2023-24 Maltese Premier League.

28 April 2023 Santa Lucia (1) 2–0Żejtun Corinthians (2)Ta' Qali
19:00 CEST
Stadium: Centenary Stadium
Referee: Fyodor Zammit

Season statistics

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Scoring

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Top scorers

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As of 22 April 2023[9]
Rank Player Club Goals
1   Jefferson Assis Gżira United 20
2   Elvis Mashike Sukisa Ħamrun Spartans 18
3   Ángel Torres Balzan 14
  Jurgen Degabriele Hibernians
5   Enzo Daniel Cabrera Birkirkara 13
  Jake Grech Hibernians
7   Maxuell Maia Gżira United 11
  Charles Lokolingoy Żebbuġ Rangers
9   Christ Evo Ememe Mosta 10
  Zachary Brincat

Hat-tricks

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Player For Against Result Stadium Date
  Ángel Torres Balzan Zebbug Rangers 3–1 (H) Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali 19 August 2022
  Evo Christ Ememe Mosta Marsaxlokk 4–1 (A) 27 August 2022
  Jurgen Degabriele Hibernians Mosta 5–0 (A) Tony Bezzina Stadium, Paola 5 September 2022
  Charles Lokolingoy Zebbug Rangers Sirens 3–3 (A) Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali 21 October 2022
  Jefferson Assis Gżira United Pietà Hotspurs 6–0 (A) Tony Bezzina Stadium, Paola 4 February 2023
  Zachary Brincat Mosta Zebbug Rangers 5–0 (A) 15 April 2023
  Jefferson Assis Gżira United 4–0 (H) Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali 21 April 2023

Clean sheets

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Rank Player Club Clean sheets
1   Henry Bonello Ħamrun Spartans 15
2   Darijan Zarkov Gzira United 12
3   Georgi Kitanov Floriana 8
4   Alessandro Guarnone Valletta 7
  Giacomo Nava Birkirkara
6   Jonathan Debono Balzan 5
  Justin Haber Hibernians
  Ini Etim Akpan Mosta
  Andrea Cassar Sirens
10   Glenn Zammit Gudja United 4
  Marko Drobnjak Marsaxlokk
  Matthew Grech Sirens

Discipline

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Player

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  • Most yellow cards: 10
    •   Luis Riascos (Gżira United)
    •   Neil Anthony Micallef (Gudja United)
  • Most red cards: 2
    •   Luis Riascos (Gżira United)
    •   Neil Anthony Micallef (Gudja United)
    •   Juan Cruz Aguilar (Marsaxlokk)
    •   Eslit Sala (Valletta)

Club

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Awards

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Monthly awards

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Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month
Manager Club Player Club
August   Giovanni Tedesco Birkirkara   Jefferson Assis Gzira United
September
October   Branko Nišević Hamrun Spartans   Matthew Guillaumier Hamrun Spartans
November   Andrea Pisanu Hibernians   Jurgen Degabriele Hibernians
December   Branko Nišević Hamrun Spartans   Matthew Guillaumier Hamrun Spartans
January   Giovanni Tedesco Birkirkara   Jefferson Assis Gzira United
February   Branko Nišević Hamrun Spartans   Ángel Torres

  Elvis Mashike Sukisa

Balzan

Hamrun Spartans

March   Giovanni Tedesco Birkirkara   Yannick Yankam Birkirkara
April

References

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  1. ^ Camilleri, Valhmor (18 May 2022). "Giovanni Tedesco returns for second spell as Birkirkara FC coach". The Times of Malta. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Camilleri, Valhmor (29 May 2022). "Valletta set to appoint Thane Micallef as new first-team coach". The Times of Malta. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  3. ^ Camilleri, Valhmor (30 May 2022). "Oliver Spiteri on pole to take over at Balzan FC". The Times of Malta. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  4. ^ Camilleri, Valhmor (5 June 2022). "Balzan FC appoint Oliver Spiteri as new first-team coach". The Times of Malta. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  5. ^ Busuttil, Antoine (8 June 2022). "Andrea Agostinelli appointed Gudja United coach". MaltaFootball.com. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  6. ^ "Grazie Mister". Hibernians F.C. 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Benvenuto Andrea Pisanu". Hibernians F.C. 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  8. ^ Antoine Busuttil (21 April 2023). "Balzan beat Birkirkara to move joint-fourth". maltafootball.com. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Tables & Statistics". maltafootball.com. 20 September 2020.
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