The 2008–09 UAE League season was the 34th edition of top level football in the United Arab Emirates and started on the 19 September 2008 until 24 May 2009.
Al-Ahli clinched the championship on the last day of the season, one of the most exciting campaigns for a number of years and also qualified for the 2009 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup as the host representative.
Al-Shabbab ACD were defending champions from the 2007–08 campaign.
Emirates Club and Hatta were relegated from the previous season. Ajman Club and Al-Khaleej Club (Sharjah) were promoted from the second level.
The winners of the league qualified for the 2009 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup as the host representative.
Contents |
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Replaced by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Wasl | Miroslav Beranek | Sacked[1] | Hélio dos Anjos |
| Al-Wahda | Ahmad Abdulhaleem | Sacked[2] | Josef Hickersberger |
| Al Dhafra | Mohammad Kwid | Resigned[3] | Eid Baroud |
| Al-Sharjah | Youssef Al Zawawi | Resigned after 11 games[4] | Toni Oliveira |
| Al-Wasl | Hélio dos Anjos | Sacked | Jaroslav Horák |
| Ajman Club | Abdul Qadir Abdul Wahab | Sacked [5] | |
| Al-Sharjah | Toni Oliveira | Sacked after 'poor results' [6] | Abdul Qadir Abdul Wahab |
| Al-Ahli | Ivan Hašek | Quit after winning championship [7][8] | Ioan Andone |
| Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al-Ahli (C) | 22 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 54 | 25 | +29 | 55 | 2010 AFC Champions League Group stage 1 |
| 2 | Al Jazira | 22 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 57 | 17 | +40 | 54 | 2010 AFC Champions League Group stage 2 |
| 3 | Al Ain | 22 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 40 | 20 | +20 | 43 | |
| 4 | Al-Wahda | 22 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 34 | 2010 AFC Champions League Qualifying play-off 2 |
| 5 | Al Shabab | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 33 | 37 | −4 | 28 | |
| 6 | Al Nasr | 22 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 37 | 40 | −3 | 26 | |
| 7 | Al Wasl | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 38 | 45 | −7 | 26 | |
| 8 | Al Dhafra S.C.C. | 22 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 24 | |
| 9 | Ajman | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 21 | 39 | −18 | 24 | |
| 10 | Al Sharjah | 22 | 6 | 4 | 12 | 31 | 45 | −14 | 22 | |
| 11 | Al-Shaab (R) | 22 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 23 | 37 | −14 | 18 | Relegation to 2009–10 UAE League Division 1 |
| 12 | Al-Khaleej (R) | 22 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 21 | 51 | −30 | 14 |
Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
1League champions Al-Ahli also qualified for the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup play-off stage.
2Since Al-Ain also won the 2008–09 UAE President's Cup, the fourth-placed team of the league also qualified for the 2010 AFC Champions League.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
| UAE League 2008–09 Winners |
|---|
| Al-Ahli 5th Title |
Source: goalzz.com
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