2008–09 Ekstraklasa

Team changes from last season

Due to the corruption scandal several teams from last season have been punished with relegation. Those teams include Zagłębie Lubin, Korona Kielce and Zagłębie Sosnowiec. Lubin and Kielce were relegated to the First League while Sosnowiec were demoted an additional level to the Second League because they also finished the season in 16th and last place, a regular demotion spot. Widzew Łódź, who ended the season in 15th place, originally were going to be penalized as well. However, the club successfully appealed the decision in front of the Polish Olympic Committee, so they were assigned to the First League as a regularly demoted club.

Promotion to this year's Ekstraklasa was earned by I liga champions Lechia Gdańsk, runners-up Śląsk Wrocław, 3rd placed Piast Gliwice and 4th placed Arka Gdynia.

Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski has been sold to an owner of I liga's club Polonia Warsaw. The two clubs merged, with Grodzisk's players and Ekstraklasa license transferred to Polonia. The merger concluded a series of negotiations between Grodzisk and other clubs. The initially planned merger with Śląsk Wrocław was eventually denied by the latter after several months of discussions. Grodzisk chairman Zbigniew Drzymała then started conversations with Pogoń Szczecin, which were quickly stopped without an agreement as well, before eventually coming to an agreement with Polonia.

Team overview

Stadia and locations

*Stadiums are under redevelopment

Personnel and sponsoring

League table

Results

Season statistics

Scoring

• First goal of the season: Hernán Rengifo (Lech Poznań) Match: 2-3 GKS Bełchatów, 47th minute (8 August 2008)
• Last goal of the season: Grzegorz Niciński (Arka Gdynia) Match: 2-1 Odra Wodzisław, 79th minute (30 May 2009)
• Fastest goal in a match: Arkadiusz Aleksander (Odra Wodzisław) Match: 2-0 Legia Warsaw, 1st minute (17 August 2008)
• First hat-trick of the season: Filip Ivanovski (Polonia Warsaw) Match: 3-0 Śląsk Wrocław, 21', 24', 67'.(29 August 2008);
• Fastest hat-trick of the season: Rafał Boguski (Wisła Kraków) Match: 3-1 Odra Wodzisław, 52', 62', 77', 25 minutes. (5 December 2008)
• Most goals scored by a player in one game: Daniel Mąka (Polonia Warsaw) Match: 4-0 Polonia Bytom, 64', 87', 89', 3 goals.(13 September 2008);
  • Rafał Boguski (Wisła Kraków) Match: 3-1 Odra Wodzisław, 52', 62', 77', 3 goals. (5 December 2008)
  • Filip Ivanovski (Polonia Warsaw) Match: 3-0 Śląsk Wrocław, 21', 24', 67', 3 goals.(29 August 2008)
  • Marcin Komorowski (Polonia Bytom) Match: 4-1 Lechia Gdańsk, 9', 41', 69', 3 goals.(29 August 2008)
• Widest winning margin: 8 teams tied Match: 4-0, 4 goals.
• Most goals in a match: ŁKS Łódź Match: 4-3 Cracovia, 7 goals.(6 March 2009)

Team Records

• Most wins: Wisła Kraków (19 wins)
• Fewest wins: Cracovia, Arka Gdynia, Górnik Zabrze (7 wins)
• Most draws: Śląsk Wrocław (12 draws)
• Fewest draws: GKS Bełchatów (3 draws)
• Fewest losses: Lech Poznań (3 losses)
• Most losses: Lechia Gdańsk (16 losses)
• **Most goals scored:**Wisła Kraków (53 goals)
• Fewest goals scored: Piast Gliwice (17 goals)
• Most goals conceded: Polonia Bytom (46 goals)
• Fewest goals conceded: Legia Warsaw (17 goals)

Top goalscorers

Relegation play-offs

The relegation play-offs were cancelled after a series of appeals over the question in which division both ŁKS Łódź and First League 2008–09 champions Widzew Łódź will play in the 2009-10 season. Originally, Arka Gdynia as 14th-placed team (sports court decisions excluded) of the Ekstraklasa and Korona Kielce as 3rd-placed team of the First League were scheduled to play in a two-legged play-off for a spot in Ekstraklasa 2009–10. However, the Polish FA were forced to postpone the series to an unknown later date due to the appeals and, after the issues could not be settled in time, eventually decided not to hold any matches.

Attendances

Source:

References

References

1. "Match report". 90minut.pl.
2. "Podsumowanie statystyczne Ekstraklasy". 90minut.pl.
3. "Attendances – Archive Poland". EFS.co.uk.
4. "Orange Ekstraklasa 2007/2008". www.90minut.pl.
5. (17 January 2008). "Polish club relegated after corruption probe". ESPNSoccernet.
6. (24 July 2008). "Widzew win relegation appeal". PA Sport.
7. [http://sport.onet.pl/0,1248675,1787296,,,polonia_polaczyla_sie_z_groclinem,wiadomosc.html Dwa kluby z Warszawy w piłkarskiej ekstraklasie.] {{in lang. pl Retrieved on 11 July 2008.
8. (28 May 2009). "Ekstraklasa: klub zdegradowany za "złą sytuację finansową"". www.onet.pl.
9. (16 June 2009). "Łódzki KS nadal bez licencji". www.90minut.pl.
10. "Najlepsi strzelcy". 90minut.pl.
11. (12 June 2009). "PZPN odwołał baraże o Ekstraklasę". www.90minut.pl.
12. https://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/archive/pol/avepol09.htm