2011–12 Maltese Premier League

The 2011–12 Maltese Premier League was the 97th season of the Maltese Premier League, the top-tier football league in Malta. It began on 19 August 2011 and it ended in May 2012. Valletta were the defending champions, having won their 20th title last season.

Maltese Premier League
Season2011–12
ChampionsValletta
(21st title)
RelegatedMarsaxlokk
Mqabba
Champions LeagueValletta
Europa LeagueHibernians
Birkirkara
Floriana
Matches played126
Goals scored384 (3.05 per match)
Top goalscorerObinna Obiefule
(34 goals)
Biggest home winHibernians 5–0 Birkirkara
Biggest away winHamrun Spartans 0–4 Birkirkara
Highest scoringMarsaxlokk 5–3 Hamrun Spartans

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 pools. Earned points are subsequently halved. Teams that finish in positions 1–6 compete in the "Championship Pool" and teams that finish in positions 7–12 play in the "Relegation Pool".

On 13 January 2011, the Malta Football Association decided to expand the league to 12 teams starting with this season.[1]

Teams

Vittoriosa Stars were relegated to the First Division after finishing in last place of the relegation pool last season. This ended a one-year stay in the Premier League for them. Taking their place in the competition are Balzan Youths, the champions of the Maltese First Division. Balzan are playing in the Premier League after a seven season absence.

Because of the league's expansion for this season, the second- and third-place finishers of the First Division, Mqabba and Mosta respectively, were also promoted to the Premier League for this season. Mqabba return to the top league after a three year absence while Mosta return after five years away.

Stadia and training grounds

Only a few stadia have the infrastructure needed to host Premier League matches. These are Ta' Qali National Stadium and Centenary Stadium at Ta' Qali, Attard, Victor Tedesco Stadium at Ħamrun and Hibernians Ground at Paola. Additional to that, each team has been assigned to a dedicated training ground. On a few occasions, Hibernians and Hamrun Spartans play at their home ground, but otherwise all games are played on neutral ground, rendering "home" and "away" games purely symbolic.

Location of teams in 2011–12 Maltese Premier Division
Team Location of origin Ground Location of ground
Balzan Youths Balzan
Birkirkara Birkirkara Infetti Ground Birkirkara
Floriana Floriana Victor Tedesco Stadium Ħamrun
Hibernians Paola Hibernians Ground Paola
Hamrun Spartans Ħamrun Victor Tedesco Stadium Ħamrun
Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk Ground Marsaxlokk
Mosta Mosta Mosta Ground Mosta
Mqabba Mqabba
Qormi Qormi Thomaso Grounds Qormi
Sliema Wanderers Sliema Tigné Point Sliema
Tarxien Rainbows Tarxien Tarxien Ground Tarxien
Valletta Valletta Salinos Ground Valletta

First round

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Valletta 22 17 4 1 52 17 +35 55 Qualification for the Championship pool
2 Hibernians 22 15 6 1 55 16 +39 51
3 Floriana 22 12 6 4 34 19 +15 42
4 Sliema Wanderers 22 8 11 3 34 24 +10 35
5 Birkirkara 22 11 2 9 34 29 +5 35
6 Balzan 22 9 4 9 28 34 −6 31
7 Qormi 22 9 2 11 36 37 −1 29 Qualification for the Relegation pool
8 Mosta 22 6 5 11 23 35 −12 23
9 Mqabba 22 5 5 12 25 43 −18 20
10 Hamrun Spartans 22 5 4 13 31 52 −21 19
11 Tarxien Rainbows 22 5 3 14 26 44 −18 18
12 Marsaxlokk 22 3 2 17 25 53 −28 11
Source: MFA, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Results
Home \ Away BAL BIR FLO HIB HAM MRS MOS MQA QOR SLI TAR VAL
Balzan — 0–4 2–2 3–2 2–0[lower-alpha 1] 3–1 1–1 1–2 2–0 2–1 1–0 0–2
Birkirkara 2–1 — 0–1 0–3 3–1 1–0 0–0 1–0 2–0 0–1 2–3 1–4
Floriana 3–1 0–3 — 0–0 4–2 4–0 1–2 2–0 2–1 0–1 1–0 0–1
Hibernians 3–1 5–0 1–1 — 5–0 2–1 2–1 4–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 1–1
Hamrun Spartans 1–2 0–4 0–1 1–1 — 6–2 2–2 0–2 2–3 4–2 3–1 0–2
Marsaxlokk 0–1 1–2 0–4 0–2 5–3 — 5–2 0–2 1–2 0–2 2–2 0–2
Mosta 1–0 1–3 2–3 0–2 0–1 0–0 — 3–0 1–0 3–2 2–1 0–3
Mqabba 2–2 2–2 0–1 1–6 2–3 1–0 1–1 — 1–4 0–2 1–1 2–4
Qormi 3–0 2–0 1–1 0–2 3–0 3–1 4–1 0–1 — 1–3 4–1 1–4
Sliema Wanderers 1–1 1–0 0–0 3–3 1–1 2–2 2–0 1–1 3–3 — 3–0 0–0
Tarxien Rainbows 1–2 1–3 1–2 1–2 1–1 2–4 1–0 3–2 2–0 1–1 — 1–4
Valletta 2–0 2–1 1–1 0–2 4–0 5–2 1–0 2–1 3–1 1–1 4–2 —
Source: MFA
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
  1. This match originally ended 1-3 for Hamrun Spartans, but was awarded to Balzan Youths 2-0 following an appeal.[2]

Second round

Championship Pool
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification VAL HIB BIR FLO SLI BAL
1 Valletta (C) 32 25 5 2 75 24 +51 54 Qualification for the Champions League first qualifying round — 1–2 1–1 2–0 3–0 1–0
2 Hibernians 32 22 6 4 74 26 +48 46 Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round[lower-alpha 1] 2–3 — 0–1 1–0 2–1 3–0
3 Birkirkara 32 17 4 11 55 37 +18 38 0–2 2–0 — 3–1 1–1 3–0
4 Floriana 32 16 6 10 46 32 +14 29 0–1 0–2 2–1 — 1–4 3–1
5 Sliema Wanderers 32 9 14 9 43 50 −7 23 0–2 1–3 1–4 1–3 — 1–1
6 Balzan 32 9 6 17 36 64 −28 15 2–7 1–4 0–5 0–3 3–3 —
Source: MFA, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champion.
Notes:
  1. The winners of the 2011–12 Maltese FA Trophy, Hibernians, qualified for the first qualifying round of UEFA Europa League. As they finished second, the fourth-placed team of the league also qualified for the Europa League.

Relegation Pool
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Relegation QOR MOS TAR HAM MEL MRS
7 Qormi 32 15 2 15 54 48 +6 33 — 1–4 1–0 6–0 2–1 5–1
8 Mosta 32 10 8 14 45 47 −2 27 2–0 — 0–2 2–2 2–2 5–0
9 Tarxien Rainbows 32 11 3 18 45 54 −9 27 1–2 2–1 — 1–2 1–0 2–4
10 Hamrun Spartans 32 9 7 16 47 71 −24 25 1–0 1–1 0–3 — 0–0 3–1
11 Melita (R) 32 9 7 16 40 55 −15 24 Relegation to the First Division 0–1 1–0 0–5 4–1 — 3–0
12 Marsaxlokk[lower-alpha 1] (R) 32 5 2 25 34 88 −54 8 1–0 1–5 0–2 1–6 0–4 —
Source: MFA, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Marsaxlokk has 9 points deducted.

Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Obinna Obiefule Marsaxlokk / Mosta 34
2 Tarabai Hibernians 21
3 Clayton Failla Hibernians 11
4 Moises Avila Perez Birkirkara 10
5 Joseph Farrugia Qormi 9
Denni Valletta 9
Alfred Effiong Valletta 9
8 Danail Mitev Sliema Wanderers 10
Bojan Mamić Mqabba 8
10 Thiago Mazzitelli Mqabba 7

References
  1. Changes to National League, FA Trophy format approved
  2. Busuttil, Antoine. "Rainbows, Spartans share spoils in draw - Wanderers win Old Firm derby". MaltaFootball.com. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
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