2008–09 Belgian First Division


The 2008–09 season of the Belgian First Division was the 106th season of top-tier football in Belgium. The regular season began on 16 August 2008 and ended on 16 May 2009. Standard Liège were the defending champions.
On 19 April 2009, Mons were relegated after Dender beat Roeselare 3–1 and made it mathematically impossible for Mons to climb into 16th position or higher. Tubize were relegated on 3 May 2009 after a 1–1 draw at home to Anderlecht.
The 2008–09 champions were decided in a playoff because Standard and Anderlecht finished the regular season equal on points and number of wins. Standard won the playoff by 2–1 on aggregate and thereby retained the title.

Participating teams

The league consisted of 18 teams, the best 16 teams from last season and two promoted teams from the Second Division.
The number of participants was reduced to 16 teams the season after, hence relegation was increased from two to three or four teams.

Team changes from the previous season

and Brussels were relegated to the Second Division at the end of the previous season after finishing in the last two places. They were replaced by Second Division champions Kortrijk and promotion playoff winners Tubize.

Overview

Managerial changes

During summer break

During the season

League standings

Final table

Championship playoff

Since Anderlecht and Standard were tied on both points and wins, a two-legged playoff was played in order to determine the league champions. Standard won the playoff 2–1 on aggregate and were crowned champions.
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Positions by matchday

Note: The classification was made after the weekend of each matchday, so postponed matches were only processed at the time they were played to represent the real evolution in standings. These postponed matches are:
  • Matchday 1: Mechelen vs. Club Brugge
  • Matchday 2: Club Brugge vs. Zulte-Waregem
  • Matchday 13: Kortrijk vs. Zulte-Waregem
  • Matchday 19: Gent vs. Anderlecht

    Results

Season statistics

Scoring

Sources: ,
;17 goals
;16 goals
;15 goals
;14 goals
;13 goals
;12 goals
;11 goals
;10 goals
;9 goals
;8 goals
;7 goals
;6 goals
;5 goals
;4 goals
;3 goals
;2 goals
;1 goal
;Own goals
No.ClubAverage attendanceChangeHighest
1Club Brugge26,085-1,1%28,180
2Standard de Liège25,9120,5%28,000
3Anderlecht23,654-5,0%24,377
4Genk22,004-5,4%24,000
5Mechelen11,079-0,6%12,800
6Gent10,639-0,5%13,000
7Cercle Brugge10,5024,0%23,163
8Germinal Beerschot10,0021,4%12,000
9Charleroi9,267-1,3%20,701
10Zulte Waregem6,682-0,3%8,900
11Kortrijk6,307166,8%9,000
12Sporting Lokeren6,1205,4%8,638
13Westerlo5,9790,6%10,638
14Mouscron5,631-3,6%10,497
15Roeselare5,528-9,3%7,000
16Dender5,0728,6%8,005
17RAEC4,294-7,6%9,000
18Tubize3,953299,7%8,000

Source: