The 2012–13 Maltese Premier League was the 98th season of the Maltese Premier League, the top-tier football league in Malta. It began in August 2012 and ended in May 2013. Valletta were the defending champions, having won their 21st title last season.
The Premier League consisted of two rounds. In the First Round, every team played each opponent twice, once "home" and once "away" (in actuality, the designation of home and away were purely arbitrary as most of the clubs did not have their own grounds), for a total of 22 games. The league was then split into two pools. Earned points were subsequently halved. Teams that finished in the positions 1–6 compete in the "Top Six" and teams that finished in positions 7–12 play in the "Play-Out".
Teams Marsaxlokk were relegated to the First Division after finishing in last place of the Play-Out last season. This ended a three-year stay in the Premier League for them.
Promoted to the top flight were Rabat Ajax, who returned to the Premier League after an eleven-season absence, and Melita, who became the first amateur club to reach the Premier League as well as being the only amateur club in the world taking part in the top tier of a professional league.
Venues Ta' Qali Ta' Qali Paola Hamrun Ta' Qali National Stadium Centenary Stadium Tony Bezzina Stadium Victor Tedesco Stadium Capacity: 16,997 Capacity: 3,000 Capacity: 2,968 Capacity: 1,962
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, 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.
TeamLocation of originGroundLocation of groundBalzanBalzanBirkirkaraBirkirkaraInfetti GroundBirkirkaraFlorianaFlorianaIndependence Parade GroundFlorianaHiberniansPaolaHibernians GroundPaolaVictor Tedesco StadiumĦamrunMostaMostaCharles Abela StadiumMostaMelitaSt. Julian'sGianni Bencini GroundSt. Julian'sQormiQormiThomaso GroundsQormiRabat AjaxRabatRabat Ajax Football GroundMtarfaSliema WanderersSliemaTigné PointSliemaTarxien RainbowsTarxienTarxien GroundTarxienVallettaVallettaZebbug Rovers FC Ground / Melita GroundZebbug or St Julians
First phase
League table
Results
Second phase
Top Six
Play-Out
Championship play-off At the end of the season, Birkirkara and Hibernians finished off equal by 45 points. On the Final Matchday of the season, on 3 May 2013, Birkirkara beat Tarxien Rainbows 1–0. And on 5 May 2013, Hibernians beat Valletta 2–1. Both teams ended with the same points. A play-off decided the title.
Birkirkara qualified for the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League. Hibernians qualified for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League.
Season statistics
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 NegrinRabat Ajax / Melita222 Daniel BuenoTarxien Rainbows193 Michael MifsudValletta184 Ryan DarmaninBalzan14 EltonBalzan14 JhonnattannBirkirkara14 Igor CoronadoFloriana148 Clayton FaillaHibernians139 Danail MitevMosta12 Obinna ObiefuleMosta / Hibernians12
References
External links Premier League official page UEFA website