2008–09 Belgian First Division

The 2008–09 season of the Belgian First Division (also known as Jupiler Pro League due to sponsorship reasons) was the 106th season of top-tier football in Belgium. The regular season began on 16 August 2008 and ended on 16 May 2009. Standard Liège were the defending champions.

On 19 April 2009, Mons were relegated after Dender beat Roeselare 3–1 and made it mathematically impossible for Mons to climb into 16th position or higher. Tubize were relegated on 3 May 2009 after a 1–1 draw at home to Anderlecht.

The 2008–09 champions were decided in a playoff because Standard and Anderlecht finished the regular season equal on points and number of wins. Standard won the playoff by 2–1 on aggregate and thereby retained the title.

Participating teams

The league consisted of 18 teams, the best 16 teams from last season and two promoted teams from the Second Division.

The number of participants was reduced to 16 teams the season after, hence relegation was increased from two to three or four teams.

Team changes from the previous season

Sint-Truidense and Brussels were relegated to the Second Division at the end of the previous season after finishing in the last two places. They were replaced by Second Division champions Kortrijk and promotion playoff winners Tubize.

Overview

Managerial changes

During summer break

During the season

League standings

Final table

Championship playoff

Since Anderlecht and Standard were tied on both points and wins, a two-legged playoff was played in order to determine the league champions. Standard won the playoff 2–1 on aggregate and were crowned champions.

Positions by matchday

Note: The classification was made after the weekend of each matchday, so postponed matches were only processed at the time they were played to represent the real evolution in standings. These postponed matches are:

• Matchday 1: Mechelen vs. Club Brugge (played between 4th and 5th matchday)
• Matchday 2: Club Brugge vs. Zulte-Waregem (played between 8th and 9th matchday)
• Matchday 13: Kortrijk vs. Zulte-Waregem (played between 16th and 17th matchday)
• Matchday 19: Gent vs. Anderlecht (played between 22nd and 23rd matchday)

Results

Season statistics

Scoring

• First goal of the season: Dieumerci Mbokani for Standard Liège against Dender (16 August 2008)
• Widest winning margin: 6: Anderlecht 7–1 Mechelen (25 October 2008) and Tubize 0–6 Zulte Waregem (21 February 2009)
• Most goals in a match: 8: Anderlecht 7–1 Mechelen (25 October 2008)
• Hat-tricks scored:
  • Idir Ouali for Mouscron against Gent (13 September 2008)
  • Nicolás Frutos for Anderlecht against Mechelen (25 October 2008)
  • Habib Habibou for Charleroi against Tubize (22 November 2008)
  • Jérémy Perbet for Tubize against Kortrijk (29 November 2008)
  • Adnan Ćustović for Mouscron against Club Brugge (20 December 2008)
  • Chris Makiese for Zulte Waregem against Kortrijk (18 April 2009)

Cards

• First yellow card: Jimmy Hempte for Kortrijk against Roeselare (16 August 2008)
• First red card: Karim Belhocine for Kortrijk against Roeselare (16 August 2008)

Goalscorers

Sources: soccerway.com, sport.be (in Dutch)

17 goals (1 player)

• Alfonso Ruiz (Westerlo)

16 goals (2 players)

• Tom De Sutter (Cercle Brugge (7) and Anderlecht (9))
• Dieumerci Mbokani (Standard Liège)

15 goals (1 player)

• Joseph Akpala (Club Brugge)

14 goals (3 players)

• Adnan Ćustović (Mouscron (10) and Gent (4))
• Ouwo Moussa Maazou (Lokeren)
• Wesley Sonck (Club Brugge)

13 goals (2 players)

• Mbaye Leye (Zulte Waregem (9) and Gent (4))
• Jérémy Perbet (Tubize)

12 goals (5 players)

11 goals (2 players)

• Elimane Coulibaly (Kortrijk)
• David Destorme (Dender)

10 goals (1 player)

• Giuseppe Rossini (Mechelen)

9 goals (4 players)

8 goals (8 players)

7 goals (7 players)

6 goals (9 players)

5 goals (14 players)

4 goals (22 players)

3 goals (37 players)

2 goals (33 players)

1 goal (77 players)

Own goals (17 players, 18 goals)

See also

• 2008–09 R.S.C. Anderlecht season
• List of Belgian football transfers summer 2008
• List of Belgian football transfers winter 2008–09

References