The 2008–09 Croatian First Football League (officially known as the T-Com Prva HNL for sponsorship reasons) was the eighteenth season of the Croatian First Football League, the national championship for men's association football teams in Croatia, since its establishment in 1992. It started on 27 July 2008 and ended on 31 May 2009. Dinamo Zagreb were the defending champions, having won their twelfth championship title the previous season, and they defended the title again, after a win against Slaven Belupo on 17 May 2009.
Season | 2008–09 |
---|---|
Champions | Dinamo Zagreb 11th Croatian title 15th domestic title |
Relegated | None |
Champions League | Dinamo Zagreb |
Europa League | Hajduk Split Rijeka Slaven Belupo |
Matches played | 198 |
Goals scored | 522 (2.64 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Mario Mandžukić (16) |
Biggest home win | Dinamo 6–0 Cibalia |
Biggest away win | Varteks 1–6 Dinamo |
Highest scoring | Rijeka 6–2 Slaven B. |
Average attendance | 3,067 |
← 2007–08 2009–10 → |
Promotion and relegation
Međimurje were automatically relegated to Druga HNL as they finished last in the previous season, while Croatia Sesvete were automatically promoted from Druga HNL after winning the 2007–08 title. In a two-legged playoff between Inter Zaprešić and Hrvatski dragovoljac, the former kept their Prva HNL status by beating Hrvatski dragovoljac with 2–0 on aggregate (2–0, 0–0).
League expansion
In June 2007 Igor Štimac, president of Association of Prva HNL clubs, proposed a future expansion of Prva HNL from 12 to 16 clubs, starting from 2008–09 season.[1] However, although a majority of club representatives supported that proposal, no strict agreement or final decision was made. On HNS meeting in late August 2007 it was decided to postpone the decision for late 2007 or even 2008 and that the expansion would not be possible before the 2009–10 season.[2]
For more than a year nothing explicit was stated on that matter. Finally, on a regular HNS meeting in February 2009 HNS Secretary Zorislav Srebrić stated that club licensing would decide whether the 2009–10 season would feature 12 or 16 teams. Theoretically, if only 15 teams obtained Prva HNL license, league would have featured 12 teams. The deadline for submitting the license was 1 May 2009.[3] On 8 May 2009 HNS declared that all 19 clubs that applied for the license were awarded with it and would be in possibility to enter the league in 2009–10, now expanded to 16 clubs.[4] Also, on 26 May 2009 HNS received official confirmations from all 19 clubs in which they expressed their will to compete in next year's Prva HNL, what means that none of the clubs would withdraw from the league.[5] However, despite their guarantee to compete in Prva HNL, Slavonac eventually withdrew although they finished fourth and earned direct access to 2009–10 Prva HNL. Their place was taken by Međimurje while sixth-placed Hrvatski Dragovoljac competed in a relegation play-offs.[6]
Stadiums and locations
After the death of Hrvoje Ćustić during a game played at Zadar's Stanovi Stadium in March 2008, it was decided that the stadia for the 2008–09 season would have to pass a closer inspection to be deemed fit for first-league football. Since only 9 stadia managed to meet the requirements and obtain first-league license from the Croatian Football Federation, it was announced in May 2008 that some of the teams (Cibalia, Croatia Sesvete, Zadar and NK Zagreb) would have to share stadia and temporarily play their home games at other venues.[7] Just before Round 1 kicked off, Cibalia managed to bring their stadium to standard, and in August, just before round 5, Zadar secured the licence to play their games at Stanovi Stadium.[8]
Stadia and personnel
Team | Manager1 | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cibalia | ![]() |
Vinkovci | Stadion HNK Cibalia | 9,920 |
Croatia Sesvete | ![]() |
Zagreb | Stadion Kranjčevićeva | 8,850 |
Dinamo Zagreb | ![]() |
Zagreb | Stadion Maksimir | 37,168 |
Hajduk Split | ![]() |
Split | Stadion Poljud | 35,000 |
Inter Zaprešić | ![]() |
Zagreb | Stadion ŠRC Zaprešić | 4,528 |
Osijek | ![]() |
Osijek | Stadion Gradski vrt | 19,500 |
Rijeka | ![]() |
Rijeka | Stadion Kantrida | 10,275 |
Slaven Belupo | ![]() |
Koprivnica | Gradski stadion u Koprivnici | 4,000 |
Šibenik | ![]() |
Šibenik | Stadion Šubićevac | 8,000 |
Varteks | ![]() |
Varaždin | Stadion Varteks | 10,800 |
Zadar | ![]() |
Zadar | Stadion Stanovi | 5,860 |
NK Zagreb | ![]() |
Zagreb | Stadion Kranjčevićeva | 8,850 |
- 1 On final match day of the season, played on 31 May 2009.
Managerial changes
Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NK Zagreb | ![]() |
Mutual consent |
10 May 2008 [9] |
![]() |
11 May 2008 [10] |
Pre-season |
Dinamo Zagreb | ![]() |
Resigned |
14 May 2008 [11] |
![]() |
20 May 2008 [12] |
Pre-season |
Slaven Belupo | ![]() |
Resigned |
14 May 2008 [13] |
![]() |
26 May 2008 [14] |
Pre-season |
Hajduk Split | ![]() |
Sacked |
24 May 2008 [15] |
![]() |
25 May 2008 [16] |
Pre-season |
Croatia Sesvete | ![]() |
Resigned |
18 June 2008 [17] |
![]() |
2 July 2008 [18] |
Pre-season |
Rijeka | ![]() |
Sacked |
1 July 2008 [19] |
![]() |
7 July 2008 [20] |
Pre-season |
Osijek | ![]() |
Sacked |
26 September 2008 [21] |
![]() |
26 September 2008 [21] |
10th |
Zadar | ![]() |
Resigned |
28 September 2008 [22] |
![]() |
9 October 2008 [23] |
12th |
Rijeka | ![]() |
Resigned |
8 October 2008 [24] |
![]() |
13 October 2008 [25] |
7th |
Inter Zaprešić | ![]() |
Resigned |
20 October 2008 [26] |
![]() |
20 October 2008 [26] |
11th |
Hajduk Split | ![]() |
Resigned |
26 October 2008 [27] |
![]() |
21 November 2008 [28] |
3rd |
Cibalia | ![]() |
Sacked |
10 November 2008 [29] |
![]() |
14 November 2008 [30] |
11th |
Dinamo Zagreb | ![]() |
Mutual consent |
24 November 2008 [31] |
![]() |
24 November 2008 [31] |
1st |
Croatia Sesvete | ![]() |
Resigned |
7 December 2008 [32] |
![]() |
30 December 2008 [33] |
10th |
Zadar | ![]() |
Mutual consent |
21 December 2008 [34] |
![]() |
30 December 2008 [35] |
12th |
Croatia Sesvete | ![]() |
Resigned |
21 February 2009 [36] |
![]() |
3 May 2009 [37] |
10th |
Dinamo Zagreb | ![]() |
Sacked |
5 March 2009 [38] |
![]() |
5 March 2009 [38] |
2nd |
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dinamo Zagreb (C) | 33 | 23 | 5 | 5 | 71 | 26 | +45 | 74 | Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round |
2 | Hajduk Split | 33 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 59 | 25 | +34 | 68 | Qualification to Europa League third qualifying round |
3 | Rijeka | 33 | 17 | 5 | 11 | 50 | 44 | +6 | 56 | Qualification to Europa League second qualifying round |
4 | Slaven Belupo | 33 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 46 | 39 | +7 | 55 | Qualification to Europa League first qualifying round[lower-alpha 1] |
5 | NK Zagreb | 33 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 38 | 39 | −1 | 47 | |
6 | Šibenik | 33 | 13 | 7 | 13 | 44 | 35 | +9 | 46 | |
7 | Osijek | 33 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 41 | |
8 | Cibalia | 33 | 10 | 8 | 15 | 33 | 53 | −20 | 38 | |
9 | Inter Zaprešić | 33 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 41 | 50 | −9 | 36 | |
10 | Varteks | 33 | 10 | 5 | 18 | 41 | 55 | −14 | 35 | |
11 | Zadar | 33 | 7 | 8 | 18 | 28 | 49 | −21 | 29 | |
12 | Croatia Sesvete[lower-alpha 2] (O) | 33 | 6 | 8 | 19 | 31 | 66 | −35 | 25 | Qualification to relegation play-off |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners
Notes:
- Because both cup finalists, Dinamo and Hajduk, qualified for Europe through their league positions, all three UEFA Europa League spots were given to teams according to their league positions, what means that fourth-placed Slaven Belupo also earned a spot in Europa League.
- Croatia Sesvete were docked 1 point due to unpaid debts to Imotski over player Darko Vučić.[39]
Relegation play-off
Due to the expansion of Prva HNL to 16 clubs in the 2009–10 season, four clubs from 2008–09 Druga HNL were automatically promoted. Those should have been top four clubs, but since Slavonac withdrew[6] their direct access spot was taken by fifth-placed Međimurje. Therefore, the 12th placed Croatia Sesvete played a two-legged relegation play-off against the 6th placed team of Druga HNL, Hrvatski Dragovoljac. Croatia Sesvete won 2–1 on aggregate and thereby earned a spot in the 2009–10 season.
Hrvatski Dragovoljac | 0 – 0 | Croatia Sesvete |
---|---|---|
Ercegović ![]() ![]() |
Report (in Croatian) |
Croatia Sesvete | 2 – 1 | Hrvatski dragovoljac |
---|---|---|
Vojnović ![]() ![]() ![]() Čižmek ![]() |
Report (in Croatian) |
Janjetović ![]() |
Results
The schedule consisted of three rounds. During the first two rounds, each team played each other once home and away for a total of 22 matches. The pairings of the third round were then set according to the standings after the first two rounds, giving every team a third game against each opponent for a total of 33 games per team.
Home \ Away | CIB | CRS | DIN | HAJ | INT | OSI | RIJ | SLA | ŠIB | VAR | ZAD | ZAG | CIB | CRS | DIN | HAJ | INT | OSI | RIJ | SLA | ŠIB | VAR | ZAD | ZAG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cibalia | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 3–4 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | ||||||||
Croatia Sesvete | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | ||||||||
Dinamo Zagreb | 6–0 | 6–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | |||||||
Hajduk Split | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | |||||||
Inter Zaprešić | 1–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | ||||||||
Osijek | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | ||||||||
Rijeka | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 6–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | |||||||
Slaven Belupo | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | |||||||
Šibenik | 4–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | |||||||
Varteks | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–0[lower-alpha 1] | 3–3 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–6 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | |||||||
Zadar | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 0–1 | ||||||||
NK Zagreb | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 |
Top goalscorers
Source: HRnogomet.com (in Croatian)
Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Dinamo Zagreb | 16 |
2 | ![]() |
Hajduk Split | 15 |
3 | ![]() |
Rijeka | 14 |
![]() |
Slaven Belupo | ||
![]() |
Šibenik | ||
6 | ![]() |
Hajduk Split | 12 |
![]() |
Rijeka | ||
8 | ![]() |
Varteks | 11 |
![]() |
Inter Zaprešić / Dinamo Zagreb | ||
![]() |
NK Zagreb | ||
Transfers
See also
References
External links
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