The 2022–23 Maltese Premier League was the 108th season of top-flight league football in Malta. The season began on 19 August 2022 and ended on 1 May 2023. Hibernians were the defending champions, having won their 13th title in the previous season.
Teams
Fourteen teams will compete in the league – the top ten teams from the previous season and the four teams promoted from the Maltese Challenge League. The promoted teams are Żebbuġ Rangers, Marsaxlokk, and Pietà Hotspurs, who will return after an absence of five, seven, ten and eight years from the top flight respectively. They will replace Sliema Wanderers (relegated after thirty-seven years in the top flight).
Team In league since City Balzan 2011 Balzan Birkirkara 1990 Birkirkara Floriana 1986 Floriana Gudja United 2019 Gudja Gżira United 2016 Gżira Ħamrun Spartans 2016 Ħamrun Hibernians 1945 Paola Marsaxlokk 2022 Marsaxlokk Mosta 2011 Mosta Pietà Hotspurs 2022 Pietà, Malta St. Lucia 2019 Santa Luċija Sirens 2019 St. Paul's Bay Valletta 1944 Valletta Żebbuġ Rangers 2022 Żebbuġ
Stadiums On 17 April 2023. The Malta Football Association introduce another stadium at Gozo Stadium in Xewkija due to the final fixture of the season to be played four matches at the same time. Ta' Qali Ta' Qali Paola Xewkija Ta' Qali National Stadium Centenary Stadium Tony Bezzina Stadium Gozo Stadium Capacity: 16,997 Capacity: 3,000 Capacity: 2,968 Capacity: 1,644
Personnel and kits
Team Manager Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor (front) Shirt sponsor (back) Shirt sponsor (sleeve)Balzan Oliver SpiteriJomaBirkirkara Giovanni TedescoNikeMcDonald'sInter Sport (Top), Visit Malta (Bottom)Floriana Gianluca AtzoriJomaHarmont & Blaine, Greens SupermarketGo & Fun (Right)Gudja United Ludvic Bartolo (Caretaker)MacronHandy Man, SixSevenEightApex Group (Top)Thomas Smith Insurance Broker (Left)Gżira United Darren AbdillaJomaGreeVisit Malta (Bottom)Ħamrun Spartans Branko NiševićPumaJ. Portelli ProjectsMidea (Top), Meridianbet (Bottom), Visit Malta (Bottom)Ta' Fonzu (Right), Tescoma (Left)Hibernians Silvio VellaJomaBezzinaMarsaxlokk Pablo DoffoJoma1padelMosta Joseph GrechMacronSimple Clean, PG GroupTeamsport (Bottom)Pietà Hotspurs Rodney BugejaJartaziFamalco.net, A1 Supplies, Xuereb InstallationFarstone Construction (Top)Santa Lucia Enzo PotenzaCapelli SportMultivend, avanzaElmo (Top), Konica Minolta (Bottom) Yellow Army (Left), Levissima (Right)Sirens Winston MuscatMacronCafé del Mar Malta, Welbee'sArringo (Top), Malta National Aquarium (Bottom)Valletta Thane MicallefNikeInialaInter Sport (Top)Żebbuġ Rangers Brian SpiteriJomaThe Convenience Shop, Coop Italia Additionally, referee kits are made by Macron
Managerial changes
TeamOutgoing managerManner ofdepartureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentSanta Lucia Giovanni TedescoEnd of contract 18 May 2022Pre-season Pablo Cortés Sánchez6 July 2022Birkirkara Jonathan HollandEnd of caretaker spell 18 May 2022 Giovanni Tedesco 18 May 2022Valletta Danilo DončićEnd of contract24 May 2022 Thane Micallef29 May 2022Balzan Alejandro PantojaEnd of caretaker spell29 May 2022 Oliver Spiteri5 June 2022Gudja United Thane MicallefSigned by Valletta29 May 2022 Andrea Agostinelli8 June 2022Hibernians Stefano SanderraSigned by Lazio Primavera8 July 2022 Andrea Pisanu8 July 2022Santa Lucia Pablo Cortés SánchezSacked 3 November 202212th Enzo Potenza3 November 2022Hibernians Andrea Pisanu6 February 20235th Silvio Vella7 February 2023Gudja United Andrea AgostinelliSigned by Benevento11 April 202310th Ludvic Bartolo (Caretaker)12 April 2023
League table <onlyinclude>
Results
Fourth Place tie-breaker
Because Hibernians, Balzan, and Mosta were tied on points after all matches played, their head-to-head results in Play-Out were decisive. Mosta had the fewest points in those matches and immediately finished 6th Place. The best two teams Hibernians and Balzan will play a deciding game to determine the Fourth Place and qualification for UEFA Europa Conference League.
Promotion or Relegation play-offs
A play-offs match shall be played between the twelfth-placed team in the Premier League, Santa Lucia, and the third-placed team in the Maltese Challenge League, Żejtun Corinthians. The winner will play in the 2023-24 Maltese Premier League.
Season statistics Scoring Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Jefferson AssisGżira United202 Elvis Mashike SukisaĦamrun Spartans183 Ángel TorresBalzan14 Jurgen DegabrieleHibernians5 Enzo Daniel CabreraBirkirkara13 Jake GrechHibernians7 Maxuell MaiaGżira United11 Charles LokolingoyŻebbuġ Rangers9 Christ Evo EmemeMosta10 Zachary Brincat
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Stadium Date Ángel Torres BalzanZebbug Rangers 3–1 (H)Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali19 August 2022 Evo Christ EmemeMostaMarsaxlokk4–1 (A)27 August 2022 Jurgen DegabrieleHiberniansMosta5–0 (A)Tony Bezzina Stadium, Paola5 September 2022 Charles LokolingoyZebbug Rangers Sirens 3–3 (A)Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali21 October 2022 Jefferson AssisGżira UnitedPietà Hotspurs6–0 (A)Tony Bezzina Stadium, Paola4 February 2023 Zachary BrincatMostaZebbug Rangers5–0 (A)15 April 2023 Jefferson AssisGżira United4–0 (H)Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali21 April 2023
Clean sheets RankPlayerClubClean sheets1 Henry BonelloĦamrun Spartans152 Darijan ZarkovGzira United123 Georgi KitanovFloriana84 Alessandro GuarnoneValletta7 Giacomo NavaBirkirkara6 Jonathan DebonoBalzan5 Justin HaberHibernians Ini Etim AkpanMosta Andrea CassarSirens10 Glenn ZammitGudja United4 Marko DrobnjakMarsaxlokk Matthew GrechSirens
Discipline Player Most yellow cards: 10 Luis Riascos (Gżira United) Neil Anthony Micallef (Gudja United)
Most red cards: 2 Luis Riascos (Gżira United) Neil Anthony Micallef (Gudja United) Juan Cruz Aguilar (Marsaxlokk) Eslit Sala (Valletta)
Club Most yellow cards: 77 Marsaxlokk Most red cards: 8 Marsaxlokk
Awards Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthManagerClubPlayerClubAugust Giovanni TedescoBirkirkara Jefferson AssisGzira UnitedSeptemberOctober Branko NiševićHamrun Spartans Matthew GuillaumierHamrun SpartansNovember Andrea PisanuHibernians Jurgen DegabrieleHiberniansDecember Branko NiševićHamrun Spartans Matthew Guillaumier Hamrun SpartansJanuary Giovanni TedescoBirkirkara Jefferson AssisGzira UnitedFebruary Branko NiševićHamrun Spartans Ángel Torres Elvis Mashike SukisaBalzan Hamrun SpartansMarch Giovanni TedescoBirkirkara Yannick YankamBirkirkaraApril
References