The 2008 Belarusian Premier League was the 18th season of top-tier football in Belarus. It started on April 6 and ended on November 16, 2008. BATE Borisov were the defending champions.
Team changes from 2007 season Due to league expansion from 14 to 16 teams the only relegated team Minsk, who finished last in 2007, was replaced by three best teams of 2007 First League: Savit Mogilev, Granit Mikashevichi and Lokomotiv Minsk.
Overview BATE Borisov won their 5th champions title and qualified for the next season's Champions League. The championship runners-up Dinamo Minsk, bronze medalists MTZ-RIPO Minsk and 2008–09 Cup winners Naftan Novopolotsk qualified for the inaugural tournament of Europa League. Due to decision to gradually reduce Premiere League to 12 clubs (14 in 2009, 12 in 2010) three lowest placed teams (Lokomotiv Minsk, Savit Mogilev and Darida Minsk Raion) relegated to the First League. The two latter teams disbanded prior to 2009 season.
Teams and venues
TeamLocationVenueCapacityPosition in 2007BATEBorisovCity Stadium (Borisov)5,3921GomelGomelCentral Stadium14,3072ShakhtyorSoligorskStroitel Stadium4,2003TorpedoZhodinoCity Stadium (Borisov)5,3924MTZ-RIPOMinskTraktor Stadium17,6005NemanGrodnoNeman Stadium6,3006NaftanNovopolotskAtlant Stadium5,3007VitebskVitebskVitebsky CSK8,3508Dinamo MinskMinskDinamo Stadium40,0009SmorgonSmorgonYunost Stadium3,20010DaridaMinsk RaionDarida Stadium4,50011Dinamo BrestBrestOSK Brestskiy10,08012DneprMogilevTorpedo Stadium (Mogilev)3,50013SavitMogilevTorpedo Stadium (Mogilev)3,500First league, 1GranitMikashevichiOSK Brestskiy (Brest)10,080First league, 2LokomotivMinskCity Stadium (Molodechno)4,800First league, 3
Table
Results
Belarusian clubs in European Cups RoundTeam #1Agg.Team #21st leg2nd leg2008 UEFA Intertoto CupFirst roundCracovia 1–5 Shakhtyor Soligorsk1–20–3Second roundSturm Graz 2–0 Shakhtyor Soligorsk2–00–02008–09 UEFA CupFirst qualifying roundLegia Warszawa 4–1 Gomel0–04–1MTZ-RIPO Minsk 2–3 Žilina2–20–12008–09 UEFA Champions LeagueFirst qualifying roundBATE Borisov 3–0 Valur2–01–0Second qualifying roundAnderlecht 3–4 BATE Borisov1–22–2Thind qualifying roundLevski Sofia 1–2 BATE Borisov0–11–1Group stageReal Madrid 3–0 BATE Borisov2–01–0BATE Borisov 2–2 Juventus2–20–0Zenit St. Petersburg 3–1 BATE Borisov1–12–0
Top scorers RankNameTeamGoals 1 Gennadi Bliznyuk BATE Borisov 16 Vitali Rodionov BATE Borisov 16 3 Artem Kontsevoy MTZ-RIPO Minsk 15 4 Alyaksandr Hawrushka Dnepr Mogilev 14 5 Dzmitry Mazalewski Dinamo Brest 13 Ruslan Usaw Vitebsk 13 7 Andrey Sherakow Torpedo Zhodino 12 8 Oleg Strakhanovich MTZ-RIPO Minsk 11 Andrey Tsevan Dinamo Brest 11 10 Aleksandr Alumona Neman Grodno 10 Dzmitry Kavalyonak Neman Grodno 10 Róbert Rák Dinamo Minsk 10
See also 2008 Belarusian First League 2007–08 Belarusian Cup 2008–09 Belarusian Cup
References
External links Official site rsssf.com