2008–09 Kategoria Superiore

The 2008–09 Kategoria Superiore was the 73rd season of top-tier football in Albania and the eleventh season under the name Kategoria Superiore. The season began on 24 August 2008 and ended on 23 May 2009. The defending champions were Dinamo Tirana.

Kategoria Superiore
Season2008–09
Dates24 August 2008 –
23 May 2009
ChampionsTirana
24th Albanian title
RelegatedBylis (via play-off)
Partizani (via play-off)
Lushnja
Elbasani
Champions LeagueTirana
Europa LeagueVllaznia
Dinamo
Flamurtari
Matches played198
Goals scored427 (2.16 per match)
Top goalscorerMigen Memelli (23 goals)
Biggest home winTirana 6–2 Bylis
Dinamo 5–1 Bylis
Teuta 4–0 Vllaznia
Flamurtari 4–0 Besa
Biggest away winLushnja 1–4 Vllaznia
Elbasani 1–4 Vllaznia
Highest scoringTirana 6–2 Bylis

KF Tirana won their 24th national league title and qualified for the UEFA Champions League; Vllaznia, Dinamo Tirana and 2008–09 Albanian Cup winners Flamurtari gained access to the UEFA Europa League. On the bottom end of the table, Lushnja and Elbasani were directly relegated. Bylis and Partizani had to face teams from the Kategoria e Parë in relegation matches. Both teams lost and thus were demoted as well.

Promotion and relegation

Besëlidhja and Skënderbeu were directly relegated to the Kategoria e Parë after finishing 11th and 12th in the previous year's standings. They were replaced by Kategoria e Parë champions Bylis and runners-up Apolonia.

9th placed Teuta and 10th placed Kastrioti had to compete in single-match relegation play-offs. Kastrioti were relegated in the process by losing on penalties against the 3rd placed team from Kategoria e Parë, Lushnja. On the other hand, Teuta saved their place in Albania's top league by beating Burreli, who had finished in 4th place in the Kategoria e Parë, with 2–1 after extra time.

Teams

Stadia and last season
Locations of the 2008–09 Kategoria Superiore teams
TeamLocationStadiumCapacityLast season
Apolonia Fier Loni Papuçiu Stadium 6,000 Kategoria e Parë
Besa Kavajë Besa Stadium 12,000 3rd
Bylis Ballsh Adush Muça Stadium 6,000 Kategoria e Parë
Dinamo Tirana Selman Stërmasi Stadium[note 1] 12,000 Champions
Elbasani Elbasan Ruzhdi Bizhuta Stadium 13,000 4th
Flamurtari Vlorë Flamurtari Stadium 8,500 8th
Lushnja Lushnjë Abdurrahman Roza Haxhiu Stadium 6,000 Kategoria e Parë
Partizani Tirana Selman Stërmasi Stadium 12,000 2nd
Shkumbini Peqin Shkumbini Stadium 6,000 5th
Teuta Durrës Niko Dovana Stadium 12,000 4th
Tirana Tirana Selman Stërmasi Stadium 12,000 6th
Vllaznia Shkodër Loro Boriçi Stadium 15,000 7th

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Tirana (C) 33 19 11 3 58 27 +31 68 Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round
2 Vllaznia 33 19 7 7 49 29 +20 64 Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round
3 Dinamo Tirana 33 14 10 9 48 34 +14 52
4 Teuta 33 12 8 13 32 34 −2 44
5 Shkumbini 33 12 8 13 32 38 −6 44
6 Flamurtari 33 10 12 11 33 33 0 42 Qualification for the Europa League second qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
7 Besa 33 10 10 13 31 41 −10 40
8 Apolonia 33 11 5 17 36 43 −7 38
9 Bylis (R) 33 9 10 14 28 38 −10 37 Qualification for the relegation play-offs
10 Partizani (R) 33 9 9 15 27 36 −9 36
11 Lushnja (R) 33 8 12 13 25 35 −10 36 Relegation to the 2009–10 Kategoria e Parë
12 Elbasani (R) 33 7 14 12 28 39 −11 35
Source: Albanian Football Association (in Albanian), Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) points in head-to-head matches; 3) goal difference in head-to-head matches; 4) goals scored in head-to-head matches; 5) total goal difference; 6) total goals scored; 7) draw
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Flamurtari qualified for the Europa League second qualifying round by winning the 2008–09 Albanian Cup.

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.

Relegation playoffs

Bylis as 9th-placed team (against the 4th-placed team of the Kategoria e Parë, Gramozi) and 10th-placed Partizani (against 3rd-placed Kategoria e Parë team Kastrioti) both competed in relegation play-off games after the end of the season. Superiore sides Partizani and Bylis lost their matches and were thus relegated to the Kategoria e Parë.

Partizani0–1Kastrioti
Report Prela 42'
Bylis2–5 (a.e.t.)Gramozi
Bakiu 18'
Muça 28'		 Report Bejollari 4'
Peçi 73'
Juriander 91'
Lena 101'
dos Santos 111'

Top scorers

Source: soccerway.com

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Albania Migen Memelli Tirana 23
2 Albania Sebino Plaku Dinamo 17
3 Albania Vioresin Sinani Vllaznia 14
4 Albania Emiljano Vila Teuta 12
5 Albania Xhevahir Sukaj Vllaznia 10
6 Serbia Mladen Brkić Apolonia 9
Albania Marius Ngjela Partizani
Albania Fatjon Sefa Dinamo
9 Albania Endri Bakiu Bylis 8
Albania Vilfor Hysa Teuta
Albania Erjon Rizvanolli Shkumbini

Notes
  1. Dinamo, Partizani and Tirana all shared the Selman Stërmasi Stadium as well as the Qemal Stafa Stadium.
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