2008–09 Croatian First Football League

Promotion and relegation

Međimurje were automatically relegated to Druga HNL as they finished last in the previous season, while Croatia Sesvete were automatically promoted from Druga HNL after winning the 2007–08 title. In a two-legged playoff between Inter Zaprešić and Hrvatski dragovoljac, the former kept their Prva HNL status by beating Hrvatski dragovoljac with 2–0 on aggregate (2–0, 0–0).

League expansion

In June 2007 Igor Štimac, president of Association of Prva HNL clubs, proposed a future expansion of Prva HNL from 12 to 16 clubs, starting from 2008–09 season. However, although a majority of club representatives supported that proposal, no strict agreement or final decision was made. On HNS meeting in late August 2007 it was decided to postpone the decision for late 2007 or even 2008 and that the expansion would not be possible before the 2009–10 season.

For more than a year nothing explicit was stated on that matter. Finally, on a regular HNS meeting in February 2009 HNS Secretary Zorislav Srebrić stated that club licensing would decide whether the 2009–10 season would feature 12 or 16 teams. Theoretically, if only 15 teams obtained Prva HNL license, league would have featured 12 teams. The deadline for submitting the license was 1 May 2009. On 8 May 2009 HNS declared that all 19 clubs that applied for the license were awarded with it and would be in possibility to enter the league in 2009–10, now expanded to 16 clubs. Also, on 26 May 2009 HNS received official confirmations from all 19 clubs in which they expressed their will to compete in next year's Prva HNL, what means that none of the clubs would withdraw from the league. However, despite their guarantee to compete in Prva HNL, Slavonac eventually withdrew although they finished fourth and earned direct access to 2009–10 Prva HNL. Their place was taken by Međimurje while sixth-placed Hrvatski Dragovoljac competed in a relegation play-offs.

Stadiums and locations

After the death of Hrvoje Ćustić during a game played at Zadar's Stanovi Stadium in March 2008, it was decided that the stadia for the 2008–09 season would have to pass a closer inspection to be deemed fit for first-league football. Since only 9 stadia managed to meet the requirements and obtain first-league license from the Croatian Football Federation, it was announced in May 2008 that some of the teams (Cibalia, Croatia Sesvete, Zadar and NK Zagreb) would have to share stadia and temporarily play their home games at other venues. Just before Round 1 kicked off, Cibalia managed to bring their stadium to standard, and in August, just before round 5, Zadar secured the licence to play their games at Stanovi Stadium.

Stadia and personnel

• 1 On final match day of the season, played on 31 May 2009.

Managerial changes

League table

Relegation play-off

Due to the expansion of Prva HNL to 16 clubs in the 2009–10 season, four clubs from 2008–09 Druga HNL were automatically promoted. Those should have been top four clubs, but since Slavonac withdrew their direct access spot was taken by fifth-placed Međimurje. Therefore, the 12th placed Croatia Sesvete played a two-legged relegation play-off against the 6th placed team of Druga HNL, Hrvatski Dragovoljac. Croatia Sesvete won 2–1 on aggregate and thereby earned a spot in the 2009–10 season.

First leg

Second leg

Čižmek

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.

Top goalscorers

*Source: HRnogomet.com *

Transfers

• List of Croatian football transfers winter 2008–09

References

References

1. Berislav Jelinić. (28 August 2007). "'Liga 16' nogometu donosi 400 mil. kn".
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10. (11 May 2008). "Luka Pavlović preuzeo Zagreb".
11. (14 May 2008). "Zvonimir Soldo podnio ostavku".
12. (20 May 2008). "Povratak ''Tanca''".
13. (14 May 2008). "Krunoslav Jurčić napustio Slaven Belupo".
14. (26 May 2008). "Mile Petković trener Slaven Belupa".
15. (24 May 2008). "Jarni na odlasku, Buljan i službeno".
16. (25 May 2008). "Vučević novi trener Hajduka, Rukavina odlazi".
17. (25 May 2008). "Kranjčar dao ostavku u Sesvetama".
18. (2 July 2008). "Prvi srbijanski trener u HNL-u".
19. (1 July 2008). "Ne može svatko voditi Rijeku".
20. (7 July 2008). "Rijeka dobila novog trenera".
21. (26 September 2008). "Smijenjen Ilija Lončarević".
22. (28 September 2008). "Vrijeme je za novog trenera".
23. (9 October 2008). "Datković preuzeo momčad Zadra".
24. (8 October 2008). "Ivančić dao ostavku!".
25. (13 October 2008). "Rijeku preuzeo Rubčić!".
26. (20 October 2008). "Bračun otišao, Perković došao".
27. (26 October 2008). "Vučević podnio ostavku".
28. (21 November 2008). "Miše ostaje trener, Grant će doći".
29. (10 November 2008). "Cibalia dala otkaz Lušiću".
30. (14 November 2008). "Cibalia našla zamjenu za Lušića".
31. (24 November 2008). "Otišao Ivanković!".
32. (7 December 2008). "Ljupko Petrović napustio Sesvete".
33. (30 December 2008). "Cico od Croatije do Croatije".
34. (21 December 2008). "Zadar ponovno bez trenera".
35. (30 December 2008). "Zebić se vraća na klupu Zadra".
36. (21 February 2009). "Cicin drugi odlazak".
37. (3 May 2009). "Srećko se vraća kući".
38. (5 March 2009). "Jurčić trener, odlasci igrača, Mamić ostaje!".
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